On Oct. 30, 12 people connected to an East African drug ring based in Seattle’s University District have been formally indicted by law enforcement agencies. All twelve individuals, who were unknowingly wire-tapped by officials, are being charged with drug distribution and weapon charges.
The organization is well-known for their large fentanyl production, regularly arming themselves when distributing or guarding their stock. Lawmakers stated they operated two distribution sites just within reach of University of Washington’s campus — one property was near I-5 and the other across one of the college’s dorms.
“‘The organization was sophisticated,’ said Tessa M. Gorman, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington. ‘They used codes. They changed phones. They did counter surveillance tactics.’” (Source: Kiro 7)
But while law enforcement were focused on the group’s drug activities, they were more concerned with the trail of violence that accompanied their operations. Allegedly, the group has been linked to several shootings throughout the city, including one major incident at a South Seattle Hookah Bar that left three dead and six injured.
“The killings, the murders, the shootings have been prevalent throughout this organization and their co-conspirators,” said Robert Hammer, leading special agent for the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
During their Oct. 30 operations, law enforcement seized multiple weapons linked to the group. These included more than 50 firearms, ranging from fully automatic weapons to handguns equipped with glock switches, an illegal device used to transform most semi-automatic handguns to full-auto weapons. In addition,significant amounts of ammunition and equipment, varying from high capacity drum magazines, armor-piercing rounds and suppressors, were seized.
“The weapons have no markings. It has no identifications.” Hammer shared. “You cannot control the spray that goes down when you activate it,” he continued, discussing the functionality of the Glock switches.
Alongside the weapons, law enforcement seized various drug paraphernalia linked to the group, including 1 kilogram of fentanyl and 4 kilograms of cocaine. However, the total amount of paraphernalia captured was significantly higher, with 19 kilograms of fentanyl seized in their initial investigations. A few hundred thousands of dollars in cash and jewelry were also recovered by officials.
While formally indicted by law enforcement, these charges are solely allegations. A person is only deemed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
This case is a Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. The federal government-led organization aims to combat drug trafficking and other criminal enterprises. This investigation in particular was led by the HSI, with collaborative efforts from the Seattle Police Department (SPD), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), just to name a few.
Although most members of the ring were captured, more arrests are expected to happen in the near future, according to investigators. Additionally, law enforcement plans to analyze the weapons seized from the group to determine if they’re linked to other crimes in the Seattle area.
