Theo nguồn tin trên trang của Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
(Maricopa County, AZ) Sheriff Joe Arpaio says that his deputies led law enforcement officers from several agencies as they arrested numerous members of a drug ring based in Arizona and operating within the state and throughout the United States. Eight suspects were arrested, along with a seizure of drugs, cars, computers, weapons and cash.
Early on, one of the eight locations was believed to be the largest indoor marijuana growing facility ever uncovered in Arizona, with 581 plants seized at a warehouse at 2425 S. 7th Avenue in Phoenix. However the investigation further resulted in the seizure of over 784 marijuana plants at one of the other locations, an apartment at 617 N 3rd Avenue #201 in Phoenix. Combined with the other properties, this brings the total to 1,401 plants with the estimated street value in the millions of dollars.
The operation was planned and executed by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) task force, under the command of the Sheriff’s Office in close cooperation with Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s Office and other law enforcement agencies who participate in the task force.
The operation began around 6:30 this morning, with almost fifty officers and agents serving warrants on eight locations controlled by the Long Hoang Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO). Much of the illicit operation’s business was conducted via cell phone and on the Internet, as the traffickers supplied clients with marijuana and hashish. A nail salon called “Za Za Nails” in Anthem was used as a front to launder the group’s profits.
Seized throughout the eight locations were drug paraphernalia, cash, eight vehicles, a boat, over 1,401 marijuana plants, computer equipment, eight guns, including an AR15 assault rifle, pistols, bolt action rifle, and 2 shotguns, and other documents and items. The street value of the marijuana is estimated to be in the millions.
“This is high grade high quality marijuana, grown hydroponically. This isn’t the type of drugs coming from Mexico. People pay a lot of money for this grade of Marijuana, and now we have shut them down,” said Sheriff Arpaio The organization utilized two online and cellular distribution names, “Dr. Green Thumb” and “True Heath Care Marijuana Delivery” as a means of directly
communicating with its customers in the Phoenix area, who were then supplied with the procured drugs by the group’s couriers. Undercover Sheriff’s deputies made numerous drug buys through texts, MMS, and cell phone calls.
The head of the Long Hoang DTO has been identified as Long Phuc Hoang, his common law wife Taryn Loan Nguyen, her sister Thuy Tammy Nguyen, and her common law husband Son Manh Ngo.
So far eight suspects have been arrested and are being booked into the Sheriff’s 4th
Avenue Jail. Long Phuc Hoang (12/03/82), Juan Carlos Taveras (8/08/78), Latsamay Tongsay (6/21/81), Frank Junior Hoang (12/1/92). Son Manh Ngo (5/16/83), Devin Lee Gainey (6/15/84), Thuy Tammy Nguyen (1/1/82), Stuart Clayton Shorty (11/7/89), Michael Davin Dood (11/7/89).
Because most of the suspects in this case were Vietnamese, two of Sheriff Arpaio’s Detention Officers who speak Vietnamese fluently were present at the scene to assist with any language barriers issues during questioning.
Sheriff Arpaio who was head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in
Arizona and now as Sheriff for 22 years is not surprised by this latest illicit
marijuana operation. Another investigation concluded today by the US Border
Patrol and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the arrest of 18 suspects
and a seizure of 660lbs of marijuana.
Arpaio, who also served as the regional director in Mexico for the DEA says he
sees the irony in today’s busts. “Today we had a major seizure of marijuana
coming into the US from Mexico, and now a large seizure of illicit marijuana,
locally grown in the Phoenix area; you can’t blame Mexico for this one.
http://www.mcso.org/MultiMedia/PressRelease/ZaZa%20bust.pdf]]]]> ]]>
