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Kilos of cocaine, thousands of dollars seized in narcotics raid
Three multi-law enforcement narcotics investigations and two raids executed in the area on Tuesday culminated in scores of arrests, and the seizure of hundreds of thousands of dollars and various controlled substances, officials said Thursday at a joint press conference at the Midland Police Department.
Since January 2007, B&L Bookstore, 5890 W. University Blvd., owned by 67-year-old Jimmy Wright of Odessa, continuously possessed cutting agents for cocaine, a U.S. Department of Justice news release stated. Wright remains in federal custody, the release stated.
Wright was only believed to be selling cutting agents, and not cocaine itself, said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Arabit of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division.
“You mix one kilo of cutting agent with one kilo of cocaine, and the $24,000 you invested just became $48,000,” Arabit said.
Authorities seized around $727,000 from a bank account associated with Wright, $300,000 in cash from his residence, a $45,000 check payable to Wright, 20 vehicles and 15 firearms from this investigation alone, Arabit said during the conference.
Investigation into Wright’s business began in March 2011.
The second investigation conducted by the DEA’s Mobile Enforcement Team, the Ector County Sheriff’s Office and the Midland Police Department began in November and has resulted in 21 arrests so far, Arabit said.
MET agents made eight undercover purchases of controlled substances at Jaguar’s Gold Club, 6824 Cargo Road, Sheriff Mark Donaldson said, adding that one employee of the business has been identified in connection with the purchases.
Donaldson said a nuisance abatement had been filed on the club.
A third operation, known as “Operation Communication Breakdown,” targeted cocaine and marijuana distribution, particularly in Alpine and its surrounding areas.
Since January 2010, La Linea Drug Trafficking Organization, believed to be led by Benjamin Valeriano Jr., of Ojinaga, Mexico, was responsible for the distribution of more than 500 kilograms of cocaine and 100 kilograms of marijuana in the area, the release stated.
Arabit was not sure what percentage of La Linea’s drug trafficking came through the West Texas region, but said it was a very large amount.
“Valeriano’s domestic sales here in the Midland-Odessa area were selling multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine on a monthly basis,” Arabit said. “To put it into perspective, a kilogram of cocaine on the wholesale market sells for anywhere between $20,000 to $24,000 per kilo. They were doing on average 10 to 20 kilos in this area per month.”
