Utah drug ring bust leads to over 20 people facing federal charges

SALT LAKE CITY – Well over one million dollars worth of meth, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl were seized by federal agents after a massive drug ring bust across the Wasatch Front in Utah. Officials reported 21 people in Utah have been indicted, and all but three are in custody.

The investigation started after one suspected drug dealer was identified in Davis County. The FBI teamed up with local police departments all over northern Utah and, over the next ten months, they were able to uncover a huge drug ring that brought drugs from Mexico into California and then eventually our state.

Supervisory Special Agent Jonathan Tapp said they seized four pounds of fentanyl, 2.2 pounds of heroin, 22 pounds of cocaine and 27 pounds of methamphetamine. Just the meth and cocaine alone are worth over $1.5 million on the street.

Tapp said, “When translated to individual doses and users, it’s approximately 25,000 doses.”

Two guns were also reportedly found by investigators, as well as $415,000 in cash. Tapp said there is evidence the drugs are connected to a significant cartel in Mexico which has a large reach, and sells to all kinds of Utahns.

“Anyone can be effected, or anyone’s close associate, even though you might not see it every day, it’s 25,000 doses of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl,” according to Tapp.

The indictments were handed down from Acting US Attorney for Utah Andrea Martinez in late April, and the arrests happened in early May. Martinez said it took a lot of different police agencies working together to make the arrests happen across several cities.

She reported, “There are multiple defendants and it took many resources to bring this down.”

Martinez said a drug ring bust this large doesn’t happen very often in Utah, but they want to send the message that drug dealers are not welcome.

“Between all of our law enforcement and federal and local partners, we will do these investigations to keep our community safe,” Martinez said.