Seized from the vehicle was 10 kilograms of cocaine, which came directly from Mexico, according to Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones. Figueroa-Pineda of Illinois was arrested and charged with possession of drug and trafficking drugs, both first-degree felonies.
Jones said the powder cocaine seized has a street value $1 million.
“This is the largest cocaine bust in Butler County,” Jones said.
The incident follows a different drug raid earlier in the week in which the BCSO said it was assisted by the Northeast Hamilton County Drug Task Force to execute a warrant in the 7300 block of Park Avenue in Cincinnati — where they arrested suspect Osay Penate, age 44. Seized during the raid was 343 grams of cocaine, more than $11,000 in cash, a rifle, shotgun and three handguns.
Two of the handguns had previously been reported stolen.
The seizure was the culmination of a two-month investigation, the BCSO said. Penate was booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center and is charged with possession and trafficking of cocaine, both first-degree felonies.
Last month, A traffic stop on Ohio 4 in Monroe led deputies to confiscate enough fentanyl to kill 1.5 million people — or everyone living in Cincinnati and Columbus, according to the sheriff.
The driver of the stopped car, Luis Hernandez-Ramos, 33, and passenger, Douglas Mancias-Martinez, 27, who both had Mexican driver’s licenses, are all now facing felony drug charges.
Jones said in the past 10 months the department has seized at least 5 million to 6 million in worth of illegal drugs, “fentanyl and cocaine all coming from Mexico and coming from the cartel.”
“I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the drug cartel for sending us their drugs and their soldiers that will be in prison a real long time,” Jones said.
He also invited local drug dealers in competition with the cartel to give the sheriff’s office a call, saying: “you don’t have to shoot them, you don’t have to kill them. We will get rid of your competition for you.”
The sheriff said through the cooperation of the county prosecutor’s office they will be seeking indictments that can be used to go get the cartel members in Mexico or have them deported back to the United States for prosecution.
“We know who they are and we are going after them,” Jones said.
About the Author
