Nineteen People Busted in Meth Trafficking Ring (California)

Nineteen in Southern California charged in meth smuggling case

The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO

A Chula Vista man suspected of leading a methamphetamine trafficking ring that used juveniles to sell or smuggle the drug was in federal custody Monday after being charged in a two-count indictment, authorities said.

Jorge Arreola-Gomez was among 19 people named in the indictment unsealed Friday by the U.S. Attorney's Office alleging that the defendants used numerous couriers, many of them teenagers, to smuggle methamphetamine across the U.S.-Mexico border.

An investigation led to the seizure of more than 140 pounds of methamphetamine, more than $25,000 in cash, a firearm and 20 pounds of pseudoephedrine, a nasal decongestant authorities say is commonly used to make methamphetamine.

Among those charged were Arreola-Gomez's wife, mother, two sisters and two brothers-in-law. Most of the defendants were from Southern California, with one man identified as a Mexican national.

All 19 faced one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Arreola-Gomez and two others also were charged with carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

The penalties range from 10 years to life in prison and fines of $250,000 to $4 million.

The defendants were scheduled to appear at a detention hearing on Wednesday, said Assistant U.S. attorney Peter Ko.