Three previously deported illegal aliens have been charged by the Utah Attorney General's Office with running a drug ring throughout Salt Lake City in addition to other felonies, reports KSL.com.
"Melvin Arrazola-Raudales, 41, Rene Leonardo Trejo-Raudales, 26, and Richer Brayan Valle-Raudales, 23, were each charged in 3rd District Court with two counts of drug distribution, a second-degree felony, and possession of a weapon by a restricted person, a third-degree felony," writes Pat Reavy.
All three men told authorities they had been previously deported but snuck back in through the Texas border.
via KSL:
Arrazola-Raudales has a history of drug distribution and has been previously deported twice, the charges state.
Valle-Raudales told investigators "he is an immigrant from Honduras who has been in the United States for approximately three months. (He) attempted to cross the border in 2014. Valle-Raudales again crossed the border approximately six months ago and again was deported," the charges state.
Trejo-Raudales "reported he is an immigrant from Honduras who has been in the United States for approximately seven months," according to court documents. He told investigators he crossed the border in Texas and had been deported once before.
The attorney general's SECURE Strike Force "received information about a group of Honduran nationals selling narcotics throughout the Salt Lake Valley, specifically heroin and cocaine" and quickly moved in on the suspects. Authorities found $7,500 in cash as well as more cocaine and heroin in the house last week after obtaining a "no-knock warrant."
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"I immediately instructed assisting agents to inspect the suspects' mouths for contraband. Inside Mr. Arrazola-Raudales's mouth was five square white plastic twists and 27 round white plastic twists. The square twists were field tested on scene and showed positive for cocaine. The round twists were field tested on scene and showed positive for heroin," the charges state.
"In the bathroom, agents found an empty plastic gum container and two twists on the floor with water near them. Based on your (investigator's) training and understanding of drug distributors it appears likely the suspects were flushing drugs down the toilet," the attorney generals office said.
Records say one of the suspects confessed to receiving "narcotics from some Mexicans in the evening and would separate them into individual packaging for selling at night. The next day they would go throughout the Salt Lake Valley and sell the packages of narcotics."
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