Riverside, California – A 2½-year wiretap investigation into a drug trafficking organization based in the Coachella Valley has led to the arrest of eight defendants linked to the distribution of wholesale quantities of methamphetamine.
The investigation, dubbed Operation Narco Navigator, targeted a significant methamphetamine distribution network overseen by Raul Lopez-Valenzuela, a 42-year-old man from Coachella, who is described as an illegal alien and the alleged leader of the drug trafficking organization.
Lopez-Valenzuela is accused of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, he could face a potential sentence of life in federal prison.
During the course of this investigation, the DEA and its law enforcement partners seized over 50 pounds of methamphetamine and four firearms. The investigation also uncovered a network of suppliers and distributors who worked with Lopez-Valenzuela to send narcotics to local sellers, as well as to customers in other states.
The eight people arrested today by special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration are among 16 defendants named in two indictments returned by a federal grand jury on June 14. In addition to today’s arrests, three defendants already were in custody, and five defendants are fugitives, with three of those believed to be in Mexico.
The 15 defendants named in this indictment, including Lopez-Valenzuela, are accused of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. If they were to be convicted, each defendant would face a potential sentence of life in federal prison.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to apprehend the remaining fugitives.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking