P.A.N.T. Scores Big Win on Big Score – Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office

On April 27^th, 2023, Partners Against Narcotics Trafficking Detectives (P.A.N.T.) conducted a drug investigation that involved a coordinated effort between local, county, state, and federal agencies.

With the assistance of DEA Special Agents, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, Prescott Valley PD Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), Maricopa County Drug Suppression Team (MCDST), and in coordination with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, PANT conducted an investigation directed at dismantling a drug trafficking organization operating in Yavapai County and Maricopa County.

The investigation was performed over several months and included numerous and various investigative techniques, including some that had never been utilized in prior cases. Subsequently, thirteen subjects were charged with several drug crimes, including the operation of an illegal enterprise, and selling methamphetamine and fentanyl.

During the investigation, it was discovered one of the drug traffickers was communicating with a drug supplier in Mexico for deliveries of large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine into the State of Arizona. After confirming the Mexican supplier was part of the drug trafficking organization under investigation, he too was arrested when he was in Arizona.

The scope of the operation was extensive, with over 30 search warrants executed throughout the investigation, and the following quantity of weapons and drugs seized: 10,500 fentanyl pills, 81 pounds of methamphetamine, 2 pounds of fentanyl powder, 1/2 pound of cocaine, and 17 pounds of marijuana.

Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance in this case:  DEA Phoenix Division, Phoenix Police Department, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Division.