Two Mexican nationals and a Cleveland man face federal charges after DEA agents seized 142 pounds of crystal and liquid methamphetamine which they allegedly produced, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Tyrone Rogers, Hector Manuel Ramos-Nevarez, and Gilbert Treviso-Garcia, have been charged with conspiracy with intent to distribute after federal agents linked them to 82 pounds of crystal meth and 60 pounds of liquid methamphetamine stored at a warehouse in Hudson, Ohio. The warehouse was being used as a site for making, packaging, and distributing meth, court documents claimed.
According to the same documents, Rogers was given the "green light" by an individual, believed to be his Mexican supplier, to kill whomever had "stolen" the 82 pounds of meth, which had in fact been seized by the police. Rogers had incorrectly identified an individual, an insider, as the thief, and police intervened by arresting him, Ramos-Nevarez, and Treviso-Garcia, before the murder could go forward.
"These seizures are yet another example of the prevalence of drugs and the demand for drugs in the Cleveland area and surrounding communities. The DEA continues our efforts to target drug traffickers especially those contributing to the opioid epidemic in America," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon.
The arrests are the second major drug bust in the region in just days. Octavio Barragan-Manzo, also a Mexican national, was arrested while transporting 44 pounds of heroin on State Route 8 in Akron. Barragan-Manzo was stopped, and a drug sniffing dog indicated the presence of drugs; a subsequent search revealed 20 brick-shaped objects which were subsequently shown to contain heroin.
"This case represents a win for law enforcement and our citizens," said Akron Police Chief Kenneth Ball. "It reflects the dedication of our investigators and strength of partnering organizations that join with us to make our communities safer. Unfortunately, it also represents that the threat of illegal drug activities remain formidable. I look forward to a sentencing that will properly protect us from these drug trafficking predators."