Santos Lopez Avalos, Fentanyl Distribution, Colorado 2023

Two Denver men have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a massive fentanyl distribution scheme. Santos Lopez Avalos, 22, and Jesus Enrique Astorga-Castillo, 41, both of Denver, face serious charges after a traffic stop and apartment search led to the discovery of over 400 grams of the highly addictive opioid.

On January 4, 2023, Denver police officers conducted a traffic stop of Lopez Avalos, resulting in the discovery of a duffel bag containing 75 clear plastic bags of suspected fentanyl pills. Each bag contained between 500 to 1,000 pills. The officers' investigation led them to an apartment on Dartmouth Avenue in Denver, where they searched the residence of Astorga-Castillo and found 11 more clear plastic bags of suspected fentanyl pills.

The total amount of suspected fentanyl pills seized in the investigation comes to 86 clear plastic bags, with each bag containing between 500 to 1,000 pills. This translates to over 43,000 individual pills, a staggering amount of the highly addictive opioid.

The two defendants made their initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews on January 6, 2023. The investigation is being conducted by the Denver Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Rocky Mountain Division, and the HIDTA Front Range Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung is handling the prosecution.

The charges against the defendants are allegations and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case numbers are 23-mj-00003 and 23-mj-00004.

The arrest of Lopez Avalos and Astorga-Castillo is a significant blow to the fentanyl trafficking ring, and law enforcement officials are eager to see justice served. The investigation is ongoing, and further charges may be filed as more evidence comes to light.

This case highlights the devastating impact of fentanyl on our communities. The highly addictive opioid has claimed countless lives, and law enforcement officials are working tirelessly to disrupt the supply chain and bring those responsible to justice.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/two-denver-men-arrested-fentanyl-distribution