Fourteen individuals have been indicted and eleven arrested in a significant drug trafficking investigation linked to Seattle’s International District and homeless encampments. Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced the charges, which involve trafficking cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from California into Washington. The arrests follow an ongoing investigation that included search warrants executed in Washington, Oregon, and Southern California.
“The indictment of five defendants in January 2025 was just the first step,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “Now we are prosecuting fourteen additional defendants.”
Seattle Police Chief Shon F. Barnes commented on the impact of the criminal organization: “For years, this criminal organization preyed on the homeless and drug addicted.”
The first indictment includes seven defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute multiple drugs, while the second involves another seven accused of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine.
In March 2025 alone, law enforcement seized substantial quantities of narcotics valued at nearly $3 million. W. Mike Herrington of the FBI highlighted their efforts: “Thanks to the sustained investigative efforts of the FBI and our partners… we are now reaching sources of supply.”
On May 29, 2025, authorities executed 16 search warrants across several locations, seizing drugs, firearms, and cash.
David F. Reames emphasized the severity: “This trafficking group was a major supplier of deadly drugs to the International District.”
Carrie Nordyke from IRS-CI remarked on the broader impact: “Illegal drug trafficking devastates lives and affects us all.”
The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal networks.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.
