9 people indicted as part of drug trafficking investigation

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — Nine people are facing criminal charges for allegedly funneling large quantities of drugs into Adams County, other parts of Colorado, and other Western states, the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said. 

Prosecutors said a grand jury returned an indictment against nine members of a Mexican drug cartel who allegedly funneled large quantities of fentanyl, meth, and cocaine into Adams County and other parts of Colorado, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona.

The suspects are facing charges including drug distribution and money laundering. Two are accused of violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act. 

Prosecutors said two of them are in custody, while the other seven remain at large. 

“Operation Dress for Less investigated the distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamines, and cocaine between the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico and the greater Adams County area,” prosecutors said in a news release. “The North Metro Task Force identified local distributors in Westminster and Federal Heights. Through the course of this operation, the task force uncovered an entire distribution network of co-conspirators that connected Mexico to Colorado, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona.”

Prosecutors said the jury “indicted nine members of the Sanudo-Rivera Drug Trafficking Organization who allegedly acted as a direct cartel pipeline for the distribution of fentanyl into the greater Adams County area.”

Prosecutors said as part of the operation, law enforcement seized 84.3 pounds of fentanyl pills (about 381,824 pills), 66 pounds of meth, 1.4 kilos of cocaine, 14 grams of heroin, an active meth lab, five guns, and $93,000. 

Prosecutors are holding a news conference to discuss the operation at 1 p.m. Wednesday. 9NEWS will livestream the news conference in the video player above and on the free 9NEWS+ app on Roku and Fire TV. 

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