Posted on: Thursday, December 20, 2001

Mexican drug ring busted

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — Ninety federal, state and county officers yesterday conducted 17 raids on the Big Island and O'ahu to shut down a major Mexican heroin distribution ring.

Operation Island Pipeline, a 13-month surveillance effort by a dozen agencies, "totally dismantled this organization," said Lt. Henry Tavares, Big Island vice commander.

Chief spokesman Mike Michaelcox, supervising special agent for U.S. Customs, said the suspects were taken to the Hawai'i National Guard Armory in Hilo. They then were to be flown by military helicopter to O'ahu's Federal Detention Facility.

They face initial appearances in U.S. Federal Court in Honolulu today. Although officials seized only a fraction of the total drugs, they said they grabbed about 20 lbs valued at $1.6 million.

They also tracked the money going back to Mexico and laundering operations on O'ahu.

The distribution group was headquartered in Puna where couriers took shipments from Los Angeles. The heroin was then re-distributed statewide.

Yesterday's raids were expected to net 16 federal suspects in addition to 18 others previously arrested. Five or six suspects will face charges in state court.

The operation was described as relatively free of violence.