Eight defendants in Texas, Arizona, California and Alaska have been charged in an alleged large-scale drug-trafficking conspiracy, attempting to sell nearly 100 pounds of various controlled substances in Alaska and launder money back to Mexico, according to the Alaska U.S. Attorney's Office.
Law enforcement seized 50 pounds of heroin, 38 pounds of methamphetamine and about 11 pounds of cocaine during their investigation. They also took possession of $70,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Courter said the drugs have a wholesale value of $2.34 million. That's if the drugs were resold in bulk quantities, like kilos and pounds, she said.
"However, street value, so if a street level dealer broke the quantities down further into grams or ounces, the figure jumps significantly to over $10 million," Courter said.
Two men, Omar Alejandro Alfaro and Jose Ramon Canales, both of Texas, are charged with "conspiring to distribute approximately 12 kilograms (about 26 1/2 pounds) of heroin and 2 pounds of methamphetamine that was ultimately destined for Alaska." The same indictment alleges a third defendant, Genaro Gutierrez-Reyes of California, and Canales planned to send drug proceeds to "conspirators in Mexico," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The charges outline several transactions, the first of which was the sale of 6 kilos of heroin in Texas sometime before July 3, 2013. Three more kilograms of heroin were later sent to Alaska using Canales' address, according to the charges.
"Investigators found these kilograms of heroin hidden in a storage unit here in Anchorage along with an additional nine kilograms of heroin and various packaging materials," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release.
Charged separately are four defendants from California and Arizona: Tomas Gutierrez Ayala, Geronimo Arellano Velarde, Cristian Giovanni Lugo and Jasmin Sanchez aka "Michelle." In July and October 2013, they allegedly arranged the transport of meth and cocaine from California to Alaska. In all, they were responsible for the distribution or attempted distribution of 34 pounds of meth and 11 pounds of cocaine.
Lastly, Anchorage resident Timothy George Alex, 51, was charged with conspiring to distribute and attempted possession of all three drugs. The government is asking for the forfeiture of $70,000 from Alex, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Courter is prosecuting the case. She said it represents a "very significant seizure," particularly for Alaska. It's the largest drug case she has seen the office handle in the past several years.
"We're not a border district … meaning we're not the western district of Texas, Arizona or California, places with a lot of traffic along the (Mexican) border, which influences how many drugs" are making their way onto U.S. soil, she said.
A significant factor influencing the flow of drugs into Alaska is that drugs can generate more profit here, Courter said.
"The potential for a dealer to maximize is higher in Alaska, and that's definitely a temptation for people," she said.
All of the defendants except Alex face 10-year mandatory minimum sentences if convicted. The local man faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, she said.
Multiple agencies investigated the case, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, Anchorage Police Department and Alaska State Troopers, among others.
According to the troopers' 2013 annual drug report, Alaskans' drugs of choice are alcohol, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, meth and prescription drugs. The "resurgence" of heroin abuse over the past several years is of significant concern, troopers reported.
Last year, troopers seized 14 1/2 pounds of cocaine, 55 pounds of heroin and 11 pounds of meth, according to the report.