EVERETT — Detectives with the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force arrested a suspected trafficker Thursday who allegedly had several pounds of methamphetamine and heroin and thousands of counterfeit OxyContin pills.
After two weeks of investigation, detectives gathered evidence suggesting the suspect was a 37-year-old man who lived in Federal Way. They also believe he is a Mexican citizen, though they were unable to confirm his identity.
Detectives set up what they called a large drug deal on Thursday. They observed the suspect as he left his Federal Way home with two duffel bags and drove in a red Volvo going northbound toward Everett.
Around 5 p.m., he arrived at a meeting location in Everett, which wasn’t identified in court papers. Officers with the Everett police Anti-Crime Team arrested him, and a police dog alerted police to the possible presence of narcotics inside the car.
According to court papers, the suspect acknowledged there were drugs inside his car and at the Federal Way home, where he rented a bedroom in the basement.
A judge gave detectives permission to search the house and the car, which was impounded.
Inside the house, they reportedly found 16 pounds of methamphetamine, 12 pounds of heroin and thousands of counterfeit OxyContin pills, as well as thousands of dollars in cash. The owner of the house confirmed that he rented the basement bedroom to the suspect.
In the car, detectives allegedly found two pounds of methamphetamine, 700 counterfeit OxyContin pills and a half-pound of heroin. Inside a bag on the front passenger seat was a handgun that was reported stolen from Bothell, according to court papers.
The suspect was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of two drug-related charges and unlawful possession of a firearm. A judge set bail at $1 million on Friday. Detectives noted the suspect had no ties to the community and there could be a risk of him fleeing the country.
Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.
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