AZ drug bust dismantles part of smuggling ring
Web Producer: Marissa Pasquet
PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona authorities said Friday that they had dismantled part of a major drug smuggling ring.
The Pinal County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a number of people and seized thousands of pounds of marijuana in a Thursday bust in the Phoenix area and areas south, including Casa Grande and Maricopa.
Sheriff's spokesman Elias Johnson said Friday that the bust is the biggest ever for his agency.
"It's huge," he said. "It'll be an eye-opener for sure when we roll everything out."
ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said that the bust was the result of a long-term, far-reaching investigation that was still active.
Neither agency released details, saying that they would have a news conference Monday.
Thursday's seizure involved the same ring as two other previous busts. In one of the busts on Oct. 14, the sheriff's office and ICE arrested 17 suspected drug smugglers, and seized 935 pounds of marijuana, 12 weapons, 1,000 rounds of ammunition and 35,000 in cash.
Johnson said that the first bust of the ring came a couple months ago but did not have details.
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