Galaxy
05-23-2009, 07:22 PM
Major pot-smuggling ring busted
By Darren Meritz / El Paso Times
Posted: 05/23/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT
EL PASO -- Eight alleged members of a major drug-trafficking organization -- suspected of distributing 25,000 pounds of marijuana a year throughout the United States -- were arrested Friday in El Paso.
An investigation headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration's El Paso division found that the group, which federal officials called the Eckenroth drug-trafficking organization, was involved in a sophisticated trafficking scheme to warehouse thousands of pounds of marijuana at commercial and residential properties throughout the El Paso area in 2007 and 2008.
The marijuana would then be distributed to locations throughout the United States before proceeds from drug sales were laundered and hidden from the IRS, said DEA officials.
"It was a major organization, and I think one of the focuses for us was the money-laundering charges and the tax-evasion charges," said Matthew Taylor, a spokesman for the DEA.
Agents arrested Rodrigo Rodney Eckenroth, Luis Rivera, Jeorge Rivera, Josefina Ornelas-Murguia, Liliana Ornelas-Rodriguez, Mario Alberto Muñoz Jr., Uriel Herrera-Gallegos and Joel Osvaldo Ramirez-Numez. Federal agents think all the defendants are from El Paso.
They appeared before Federal Magistrate Judge Michael McDonald on Friday. Six of the eight defendants are scheduled for arraignment at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the federal courthouse.
The investigation, which included assistance from the El Paso Police Department and the IRS criminal investigation unit, led to the seizure of several bank accounts, which were allegedly used to hide assets and launder drug proceeds.
Also seized were 24 vehicles, three homes, two commercial properties, several tons of marijuana and $334,000, DEA officials said.
On April 22, a federal grand jury returned a 17-count indictment charging the defendants with numerous drug-trafficking and money-laundering violations. Eckenroth also was indicted on charges of attempting to evade and defeat taxes.
Friday's arrests came after a previous bust, in which six other alleged Eckenroth drug trafficking organization members were taken into custody. Their identities were not available Friday. DEA officials expect more arrests stemming from the investigation.
By Darren Meritz / El Paso Times
Posted: 05/23/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT
EL PASO -- Eight alleged members of a major drug-trafficking organization -- suspected of distributing 25,000 pounds of marijuana a year throughout the United States -- were arrested Friday in El Paso.
An investigation headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration's El Paso division found that the group, which federal officials called the Eckenroth drug-trafficking organization, was involved in a sophisticated trafficking scheme to warehouse thousands of pounds of marijuana at commercial and residential properties throughout the El Paso area in 2007 and 2008.
The marijuana would then be distributed to locations throughout the United States before proceeds from drug sales were laundered and hidden from the IRS, said DEA officials.
"It was a major organization, and I think one of the focuses for us was the money-laundering charges and the tax-evasion charges," said Matthew Taylor, a spokesman for the DEA.
Agents arrested Rodrigo Rodney Eckenroth, Luis Rivera, Jeorge Rivera, Josefina Ornelas-Murguia, Liliana Ornelas-Rodriguez, Mario Alberto Muñoz Jr., Uriel Herrera-Gallegos and Joel Osvaldo Ramirez-Numez. Federal agents think all the defendants are from El Paso.
They appeared before Federal Magistrate Judge Michael McDonald on Friday. Six of the eight defendants are scheduled for arraignment at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the federal courthouse.
The investigation, which included assistance from the El Paso Police Department and the IRS criminal investigation unit, led to the seizure of several bank accounts, which were allegedly used to hide assets and launder drug proceeds.
Also seized were 24 vehicles, three homes, two commercial properties, several tons of marijuana and $334,000, DEA officials said.
On April 22, a federal grand jury returned a 17-count indictment charging the defendants with numerous drug-trafficking and money-laundering violations. Eckenroth also was indicted on charges of attempting to evade and defeat taxes.
Friday's arrests came after a previous bust, in which six other alleged Eckenroth drug trafficking organization members were taken into custody. Their identities were not available Friday. DEA officials expect more arrests stemming from the investigation.