The drug trafficking organization brought down by Operation High Step relied on a sophisticated method of heroin trafficking into the Usa. The traffickers concealed bricks of heroin within the porcelain frames of paintings, which drug dealers shattered to retrieve the drugs for sale. Heroin was also smuggled in to the U.S. by concealing shipments in shoes, furniture and clothing. They sewed heroin in to the lining of clothing and the soles of trainers, then shipped these things across U.S. borders.
The entire year long investigation has resulted in the arrest of 78 individuals, the seizure of 78 kilograms of heroin, 39 kilograms of cocaine, $1.4 million in cash and 20 weapons. The investigation targeted every degree mercurial pas cher of the DTO, in the Colombian supply of supply towards the wholesales distributors and retail dealers.
This organization was responsible for smuggling 25 kilograms of heroin into the United States monthly. This powerful DTO was consistently obtaining multi-kilogram quantities of heroin from the lab close to the Pereira, Colombia area and coordinating the smuggling of heroin to American cities. Following wholesale distribution in those cities, the DTO would electronically transfer the ill-gotten proceeds to Colombia through wire transfers.
Information on the drug trafficking organization?s financial operations were revealed by the DEA. A kilogram of heroin purchased for $8000 in Colombia would sell for $55,000 in American cities. It might then be broken into 25000 glassine packets which sold for $10 each. The heroin seizure was worth over $12 million on the street.
Operation High Step led to 19 arrests in Colombia, including the leaders of the organization, Alberto Bejarano-Ospina and Gonzalo Salazar-Oliveros, based on indictments issued by the United States Attorney?s Offices within the Eastern District of recent York, Southern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, and also the District of Massachusetts, charging all of them with distribution hypervenom pas cher of and conspiracy to distribute heroin. The arrested individuals are now susceptible to extradition to the Usa.
?Behind the allure of artwork lurked the poison hypervenom pas cher of heroin," said DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy. ?Heroin promises not beauty -- forcing addiction, pain, and devastation on its users. ?Operation High Step? implies that traffickers will work challenging their poison onto our streets, but DEA is relentless to keep it where it belongs: out of the picture.?