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Drug cartel bust put dent in meth trade

Sunday, September 14, 2008 12:54 AM PDT

By Leslie Slape
lslape@tdn.com

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The April takedown of the Barragan drug cartel has had a "significant" impact on methamphetamine trafficking in the region, particularly at the coast, federal and local law enforcement officials said last week.

"Since the arrests, there has been significant reduced availability of meth throughout Southwest Washington," said Jodie Underwood of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Seattle office. "Also, the prices for meth have increased and the purity has decreased, which is likely attributed to the reduced availability of the drug since these arrests."

The four-year investigation led to the arrests of 41 people and seizures of 89 pounds of meth, 50 firearms and $255,000 in cash.

Three of the four men from Woodland and Long Beach arrested in April have pleaded guilty in federal court. One has already been sentenced, and the other two will be sentenced Monday.

The fourth, Epifanio Barragan Estrada of Woodland, is scheduled for trial Nov. 18 in Tacoma along with 18 other federal defendants whom authorities have identified as key members of the organization.

The Barragan organization controlled the distribution of meth along the Interstate 5 corridor, bringing 200 pounds a month up from superlabs in Mexico, according to court documents. About half the meth stayed in Washington, and the rest was shipped to the Midwest and East Coast, authorities said.

The price for an ounce of meth is $1,000 to $1,200, compared to $600 two years ago, narcotics agents said.

Woodland appears to have been a way station for the drug, agents said.

According to the federal court affidavit, a drug runner brought shipments from Mexico to Epifanio Barragan Estrada, who distributed the drug from his base in Woodland to Grays Harbor and Pacific counties and the south area of Puget Sound.

Because the meth wasn't sold here, the impact of this particular bust on Cowlitz County drug dealing was not high, said an undercover agent with the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Narcotics Task Force.

"Our goal is to go after the highest dealer we can get up to, and that generally takes us out of our jurisdiction," he said.

However, in Pacific County, where agents arrested Francisco Javier Cortez Villa and Miguel Barian Farias in Long Beach, the drop in meth availability was immediately apparent, Sheriff John Didion said Thursday.

"We saw right afterward a reduction in the overall trafficking," Didion said. "But we're not kidding ourselves. ... We're not assuming it's stopped by any means. Those pieces, if they haven't been replaced (yet), probably are being replaced."

Long Beach Police Chief Flint Wright agreed.

"It goes down, but we have to maintain our diligence," he said.

Didion said he views the drug war as "an ongoing struggle," and he appreciates the intelligence sharing with the DEA, which they didn't have before the investigation, and the Regional Narcotics Task Force, created in 2006.

Most of the fight against major dealers has concentrated on the Interstate 5 corridor, particularly in King and Pierce counties. But the master court affidavit about the Barragan cartel reveals the organization worked out of small cities and counties.

"It's a business decision there," Didion said. "They move from I-5 to our area, (Highway) 101, where there's less officers and less enforcement. � We're rural enough that trafficking activities stand out.

"If I were a business person, and my business wasn't succeeding in particular area, I'd move it," he said. That's what we're hoping, that they move it out of our county."

Status of federal cases:

--Epifanio Barragan Estrada, 37, aka Alejandro Gonzalez Tapia, Woodland. Charged with three counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Trial scheduled for Nov. 18 in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.

--Jesus Gonzalez Tapia, (aka Jesus Larios Ruiz), 37, Woodland. Brother of Epifanio/Alejandro, according to court documents. Pleaded guilty June 11 to alien in possession of a firearm, a Glock .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Penalty is up to 10 years in federal prison, followed by deportation. Sentencing is Monday.

-- Francisco Javier Cortez Villa, 33, Long Beach. Pleaded guilty June 9 to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Defense has recommended 13 months in federal custody, followed by deportation. Sentencing is Monday.

--Miguel Barian Farias, 24, Long Beach. Pleaded guilty to two counts of alien in possession of a firearm. Sentenced Sept. 4 to six months in federal custody, followed by deportation.

-- Francisco Manuel Rios Chavez, 22, aka "Meno," sometimes stayed in Woodland. Federal indictment calls him a drug runner for Epifanio Barragan Estrada. At large. Bench warrant issued for his arrest.

Status of state cases:

- Lucero Marlen Paniagua Lopez, 34, Woodland. Live-in girlfriend of Epifanio/Alejandro. Charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Trial set for Sept. 24 in Cowlitz County Superior Court.

- Maria Barragan Estrada, 35, Woodland. Wife of Jesus Gonzalez Tapia. Charged with forgery of Social Security documents. Trial set for Sept. 24 in Cowlitz County Superior Court.

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bdha wrote on Sep 14, 2008 6:50 AM:

" yet another reason to lock that border up "

boon-dogdotcom wrote on Sep 14, 2008 7:06 AM:

" I guess these are the jobs all the mexicans talk about no body wanting to do.. I mean mexican people would never BREAK ANY LAWS like sneaking into our country illegaly over and over again..

CHANGE THE LAWS DEMAND OUR LAWMAKERS JAIL ILLEGALS 10 YEARS MIN OF FORCED LABOR WORK GANGS!!! "

Mrs. Pellwerds wrote on Sep 14, 2008 7:18 AM:

" Now that the cops have done their part on the supply it is time for the treatment centers to step up and treat the addicted to reduce demand. "

boon-dogdotcom wrote on Sep 14, 2008 7:20 AM:

" to the mexican LOSER that makes sure no one reads any bad postings about mexicans by deleting them.. YOUR A LOSER.. how about letting posts that actually reflect the opinions of the people.. NOT of the illegals or mexicans harboring illegals.. like uncle hector the pedofile or uncle jesus the meth dealer.. "

roudy russ wrote on Sep 14, 2008 7:55 AM:

" Take our soldiers out of Iraq and put them on the borders!!! We need to defend our country before we should worry about the rest of the damn world!!!! "

bonziyance wrote on Sep 14, 2008 8:11 AM:

" If you could just get all the Illegals out of Longview that would really put a end to meth. "

cynic wrote on Sep 14, 2008 8:55 AM:

" hey rosey here is your drop in the bucket. Little over a TON of meth a YEAR brought into our country just by this one group. Multiply this by all of the other groups that the Mexican cartels have set up and you will find that your little drop turns out to be almost the whole bucket. Do you think that the legal immigrants are the ones doing this? Our drug laws are far too lenient. Drug importation should be a capital offence. Sentence carried out in 90 days. "

worriedone wrote on Sep 14, 2008 11:13 AM:

" One good example of why our borders need to be SHUT DOWN. We aren't getting the best coming over to our country, we get the garbage. My hats are off to the law enforcement agencies who took these losers off the streets. Keep up the good work. "

Proud Mama wrote on Sep 14, 2008 3:55 PM:

" Illegals aren't the only ones dealing the meth. I can think of plenty of natural born citizens using and dealing. It's supply and demand. The demand needs to go away through education, treatment and prevention. We should question why we struggle with this addiction as a nation. I bet if you looked to other countries, they do not battle the drug use that we do. Why? "

bmoc wrote on Sep 14, 2008 9:38 PM:

" reducing the drug supply (border enforcement) will not lead to a reduction of demand for the product. the product may become more scarce, which may bring on more crime. You have to be careful what you wish for. A better solution would be to allow addicts to receive a cleaner amphetamine from the health department or a special clinic. We could take out Mexican and U.S. dealers with one swoop if we provided addicts with cleaner and cheaper alternatives. Decriminalizing drug use doesn't mean you condone it. It just means your realize it is far more effective and cheaper to solve the issues resulting from the drug worlds black market. I can hear him already, so I'll just say it - TDBB, there would be no black market for this crap if there were cheaper and safer alternatives. "

bmoc wrote on Sep 14, 2008 9:39 PM:

" granted - some people still make their own booze - but the mafia and black markets don't deal in it because there is nothing to profit. "

mole wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:21 AM:

" THIS IS THE DRUG THAT KILLS GOOD JOB!!ANY DRUG THAT CAN BE MADE BY BACK YARD CHEMISTS WILL NEVER BE STOPPED!!!IT IS NOT JUST THE BORDER BANDITS IT IS YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, GET THEM ALL!!! "

TDN Bad boy wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:40 AM:

" BMOC I am not getting drawn into your argument. You are so far out in Liberal left field that no one can reach you. This is another example that we really need to lock our borders. I see they are planning on deporting one of the worst bad guys. Tell me, how will that protect us? The Mexican government will release him in a short time, and as soon as he can, he will be back in the U.S. I also think the Hispanic community needs to look at this see and see itself as a failure. The Hispanic community wants everyone to respect its culture, etc. How about the community help and show respect to the established community by helping us police this problem. People knew what was going on, that some of these people were here illegally and they chose to do nothing. Come on Hispanic community, you need to step up and do your part. "

DW wrote on Sep 15, 2008 11:56 AM:

" bmoc, all I have to say is......thank god your not in charge. Anyone that would suggest that giving addicts cleaner drugs is insane. Remember, there is a book that you should read. It's title is "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder". I think the best solution for these drug dealers is a national prison in the southwest desert of the United States. Outdoor tents as cells, no freakin' tv, no weight rooms or bar bells, no air conditioning, pink underware, and the only thing to read would be childrens books, all in English. But wait you say, a sheriff in Arizona already does that. Yes it's true folks. And when the bums get out, they come an commit crime in this county again. Lock'em up. "

Kelso Guy wrote on Sep 15, 2008 2:17 PM:

" Boy - here's a quote from your response on the legalize it video feed: "Kelso Guy -- meth is imported? Man you make me laugh with some of your statements." "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Sep 15, 2008 3:48 PM:

" Kelso Guy, the biggest problem isn't with imported meth. It's with homemade meth. Meth labs here are far more dangerous to people and the envioronment. Of course, every kind of drug is smuggled into the country. But the threat of meth mainly comes from within, the production and the selling. I am so glad Kelso Guy that you pay so close attention to me. I must be important in your life. "

Kelso Guy wrote on Sep 16, 2008 1:05 PM:

" Yeah, meth houses are everywhere these days,....come to think of it, I haven't heard about one in quite a while. "Since the arrests, there has been significant reduced availability of meth throughout Southwest Washington", but what they really meant was less imported meth available right? They were talking about the smaller problem of imported meth? No, you're not important, just annoying - thinking you know about something enough to make a public statement. "

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