A drug trafficking investigation by Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, Sandford Police Department, NC State Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Homeland Security, and Texas law enforcement agencies has led to multiple arrests.

The probe began with undercover Methamphetamine purchases that led to Texas supply sources.  North Carolina investigators learned that Austin, Texas DEA and HSI were working on an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation into the same North Carolina-based group. The group was transporting large amounts of illegal narcotics from Texas to North Carolina. 

Law enforcement personnel seized five kilograms of Crystal Methamphetamine, seven kilograms of Cocaine, 42 pounds of Marijuana and approximately $280,000 in cash.
 
The investigation started in April 2016 and ended in October 2017 which resulted in 20 individuals being federally charged with Conspiracy to Traffic over five kilograms of cocaine and could face 10 years to life in prison.  

Three local individuals were arrested along with 17 others who are from Texas.

Federico Alvarez-Mendoza, 36, from Cameron, Elias Montiel, 26, from Sanford, and David Ibarra, 25, from Broadway, were arrested during the investigation.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the Moore County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division for their partnership with our fellow Federal, State, and local Law Enforcement agencies,” said Sheriff Neil Godfrey. “This operation highlights the importance of those partnerships and the large impacts we make as a Team.”  

 

 

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