Local investigators have shut-down a major marijuana trafficking ring.
The Attorney General came to Erie Wednesday, to announce details of 9 people arrested.
It's a significant drug bust, shutting down an alleged distribution ring that spanned not only the country, but could include international borders as well.
Wednesday, the PA Attorney General announced criminal charges against 9 people, including 4 from Crawford county.
The AG Drug Task Force, and State Police arrested 9 people in the Texas to Pennsylvania marijuana trafficking organization, dubbed "Operation Texas Twins."
Police say the ring leaders are twin brothers from Texas, Marcelino and Miguel Rodriguez.
The investigation focused on the transportation and distribution of bulk quantities of high-grade marijuana across the country, from Texas, right here to Northwest Pa.
Investigators say the organization brought in 20 pounds of marijuana a month, over a 2 year period. So police say the impact of these arrests will be lasting.
"It's not unusual to drug dealers not only dealing in marijuana but also dealing in cocaine and heroin, to seek out small town areas in the US, and try to establish a base of operations and that's what happened here." Said AG Kelly.
"When you see this much marijuana coming into this area that's a test case to see what the availability for selling other drugs such as heroin and cocaine. So anytime you take off a major marijuana distributor, you're taking off what could possibly be other drugs coming into the area." Said Dennis Tobin, Head of The AG Bureau of Narcotics Investigation in Erie.
Investigators say these drugs likely originated in Mexico, a country of course that's fighting a major drug war of their own.
And these drugs weren't just destined for Crawford county. Police say they likely would have been distributed in Crawford, Erie, even New York and Ohio as well.
For more details on this in depth 20 month investigation, go to the AG's web site at www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=6567
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WICU. All Rights Reserved.
