Local, federal authorities arrest trio in Whatcom fentanyl-trafficking operation
Two men were arrested in Bellingham and a third was arrested in North Carolina, suspected of being part of a drug ring that was smuggling fentanyl pills to Western Washington from Mexico.
More than 75,000 fentanyl pills worth more than $100,000 were seized in an undercover operation that stretched over two months, according to a statement from the U.S. Justice Department emailed to The Bellingham Herald.
Guillermo Vieyra Salas, 22, and Jaime Alonso Hernandez-Hernandez, 41, were arrested Wednesday, Oct. 19, and booked into Whatcom County Jail.
They appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Thursday, Oct. 20, the Justice Department said.
A third defendant, Manuel Lugo, was arrested in Wilmington, N.C., and will appear in U.S. District Court there on Monday, Oct. 24.
According to court records, undercover Homeland Security Investigations agents learned of the drug ring and made an initial buy in August.
In September, undercover agents arranged to buy 75,000 fentanyl pills for $112,000 at a coffee shop near Bellingham International Airport, according to the statement.
“While one co-conspirator was delivering the drugs to one location, two other men met with undercover agents at a coffee shop where the undercover agents briefly showed the two men what appeared to be $112,000 in cash,” the statement said.
All three men were charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
They face sentences of up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years because of the large amount of drugs involved.
Agencies involved in the investigation and arrests include Homeland Security Investigations, the Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to the Justice Department statement.
This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 4:53 PM.
