Members of Mexico drug trafficking organization arrested following Pueblo investigation
Law enforcement agencies from around the state worked together on an investigation titled Operation Double Dippin throughout the past two years.
The investigation resulted in the indictment and/or arrest of 65 people and the seizure of monetary assets valued at $1.25 million.
The investigation began with small street-level buys from narcotic dealers in Pueblo, in which authorities learned the drug trafficking operation encompassed the entire Front Range of Colorado. The Colorado State Attorney General’s Office then adopted the case.
Further investigation revealed that there were three organizational distribution branches. The primary branch was linked to the PAYAN DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION (DTO) based in Mexico. The PAYAN DTO is known to distribute heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine to Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Washington and other states.
Colorado authorities report, the organization was distributing throughout the entire I-25 corridor, from Trinidad to Denver.
The investigation led to the indictment and/or arrest by the Colorado State Attorney General’s office and Pueblo County District Attorney of 65 people. As of Wednesday night, 40 of the 65 people charged have been arrested.
Authorities seized monetary assets valued at $1.25 million, seven vehicles, 31 firearms, 126.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 56.2 pounds of heroin and 33.7 pounds of cocaine.
Authorities have their sights on two more dealers. Diana ‘Dee’ Sandoval and Ray ‘Joker’ Rodriguez are both believed to be hiding in the Pueblo are and are considered to be dangerous. If you have any information about their whereabouts you are encouraged to inform authorities.
“Every time we’d turn over a rock there was another target and so we’d go after that target,” said DEA agent Timothy Scott. “We’d turn over another rock and go after that target it just escalated.”
Scott says Pueblo and Southern Colorado were the staging ground for this investigation for three key reasons.
“One reason is gangs, and you have a large illegal alien population. Plus, the other problem is that you are on the I-25 corridor, and I-25 is a major transportation route,” said Scott.
But is Pueblo any safer following Operation Double Dippin?
“What I can guarantee you is this the gang issue has been diluted,” said Pueblo Chief of Police Troy Davenport.
Davenport has been working with the DEA and many other departments since the beginning, but recognizes what needs to happen next.
“There is still work to do,” said Davenport. “We will continue to do it, and we will continue to work cooperatively. We will move forward.”
“You do one case and you walk away and you go rah rah rah cheer cheer and it’s going to come right back at you,” said Scott. “You have to keep the pressure up, you have to keep going after them.”
Scott says that organizations like PAYAN DTO are like corporations. Operation Double Dippin dealt a signficant blow, but people can be replaced, and drugs are continuing to be produced south of the border.
