DENVER - State and federal agents and prosecutors say they have arrested 34 people in the latest phase of a far-ranging heroin distribution sweep that resulted in a total of 57 state and federal indictments. More than 270 pounds of heroin was seized, according to Wednesday's announcement from the office of Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman.
The two-year investigation, dubbed "Operation Chump Change," was conducted by the DEA's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The bust was the largest and most complex in the history of the Rocky Mountain region, the attorney general's office said.
The investigation was launched in 2013. The international heroin trafficking organization was based in the Denver metropolitan area and brought heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine from Mexico to a vast network throughout the West.
According to authorities, Operation Chump Change has netted:
- 273 pounds of brown heroin, valued at $40 million street value
- 31 pounds of methamphetamine valued at $500,000 street value
- 25 pounds of cocaine valued at $1 million street value
- 25 vehicles worth approximately $300,000
- $2,300,000 in cash
Authorities say IRS agents and prosecutors from U.S. Attorney John Walsh's office were involved in the drug sweep.
Kevin Merrill with the Denver DEA Field Division offered insight into the significance of this operation.
"Agents and task force officers fully identified all aspects of the organization from the opium poppy fields and heroin laboratories in Mexico to distribution cells based in Colorado. Our investigation is further evidence of the growing problem of heroin use and addiction in Colorado," Merrill said in a statement.
Investigators say that with this large of a bust, hospital emergency rooms will start filling up with people withdrawing from heroin. In 2013 alone, at least 118 Coloradans died of overdoses in which heroin played a role. In 2014, 147 Coloradans died of heroin-related overdoses, a 25 percent increase in one year.
Those named in the federal indictment:
- Joel Efren Ruelas-Avila (fugitive in Mexico)
- Jose Luis Ruelas-Torres (fugitive in Mexico)
- Maria de Jesus Espinoza-Rodriguez (fugitive in Mexico)
- Betito last name unknown (fugitive in Mexico)
- Jose Carlos Barraza-Aceves (fugitive in Mexico)
- Hector Librado Rivera-Sandoval (fugitive in Mexico)
- Leo Delfin (fugitive)
- Pedro Armando Gutierrez-Nunez (arrested)
- Raul Estrada-Castillo (arrested)
- Ivan Haro-Perez (fugitive)
- Jose Vidal Leon-Penuelas (fugitive)
- Carlos Alberto Perez-Garcia (arrested)
- Pabel Erbey Bernal-Lopez (fugitive)
- Yajahira Melissa Lopez-Calidonio (arrested)
- Ligia Lopez-Perez (fugitive)
- Neli Yanira Calidonio-Meza (arrested)
- Martin Rodriguez-Sanchez (fugitive)
(KUSA-TV © 2015 Multimedia Holdings Corporation with The Associated Press)
