Tucson, Arizona: UPS Employees Ran Drug Trafficking Ring for a Decade

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Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Fox y KGUN9

                        UPS employees ran drug trafficking ring for a decade, authorities say:

A group of United Parcel Service (UPS) employees are accused of smuggling shipments of drugs and counterfeit vaping oils from Mexico and distributing the illicit products around the U.S. for at least a decade.
Authorities arrested 11 people, including four UPS drivers and supervisors, in Tucson, Ariz., for their roles in the alleged smuggling ring, the Department of Homeland Security said. Investigators say the suspects moved thousands of pounds of marijuana and other drugs into the U.S. from Mexico each week using the company’s standard cardboard boxes, bypassing security measures.
Raul Garcia Cordova, 47, faces more than a dozen charges. A police raid at his home turned up 50,000 counterfeit vaping pens, a Chevrolet Corvette and a Range Rover. Court docs allege drug trafficking conspiracy after the multimillion-dollar home raided.
Raul Garcia Cordova, 47, was arrested after Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a search warrant at his home near the intersection of Moore Road and Como Drive Thursday. Investigators say their search turned up marijuana, vape pens, equipment to make vape pens, drug ledgers and plenty of cash. Cordova is jailed unless he can post a bond of $250,000 cash.
KGUN 9 was there when agents hauled away multiple vehicles including SUVs, pickup trucks, a sports car, a trailer and a motorboat.
The Arizona man was arrested and the multi-million-dollar home raided in HSI money laundering, drug investigation: Real estate listings advertise a $2.4 million price tag for the home, and property records show it was sold for $1.6 million in the past few years.
Cordova, who is a U.S. citizen, made his initial court appearance Thursday night. His attorney told the judge his client does have two prior felonies on drug charges, though they date back about 15 years. Arguing for a high bond, a prosecutor noted Cordova’s prior felonies prohibit him from having any firearms but multiple guns were found at the house.
The complaint against homeowner Raul Garcia Cordova says he bankrolled an operation that used UPS to ship vape pens that dispense THC, the psycho-active ingredient in marijuana. He’s now facing 13 charges, including drug manufacturing, money laundering and weapons violations.
A decal on one of the trailer hauled away at the scene advertises “Sonora Dark Horn Adventures.” According to its website, the company offers guided hunts on 100,000 acres of land it controls Mexico, specializing in bighorn sheep and deer. Public records list Cordova as the company’s owner.
Mario Barcelo, a 20-year UPS employee and dispatch supervisor — was named as the alleged ringleader of the operation. In a news release, the federal authorities said officials learned of the operation in 2017. Barcelo was arrested on Nov. 13.
Prosecutors said Barcelo, 49, used his position in the Tucson UPS distribution facility to ensure the drug shipments were loaded to the correct trucks and delivered to the intended destinations. Authorities in Tucson had been investigating Barcelo since 2009, The Washington Post reported.
However, they became frustrated when UPS would not cooperate with them to intercept and prevent potential crimes. They cited a 2017 incident in which they were prevented from entering the Tucson facility after learning of an illicit shipment.
In a statement to Fox News, UPS said it is cooperating with law enforcement but is “not at liberty to discuss the details of the arrests as this is an ongoing investigation.”
Aside from Barcelo, UPS supervisor Gary Love and drivers Michael Castro and Thomas Mendoza are charged with money laundering, drug possession and drug distribution. Seven others are facing charges on shipping drugs and operating stash houses.
Detectives describe 32-year-old Fernando Navarro-Figueroa as being in charge of the stash house where some of the illegal items were stored, and in charge of multiple members of the drug trafficking organization.
Navarro will need to post $75,000 in cash to bond out.
Prosecutors said Barcelo and the alleged suspects expand their operation from delivering marijuana to more lucrative drugs and black-market vaping pens.
Undercover officers posing as drug traffickers contacted Barcelo to ship a fake shipment of cocaine in 2018 and 2019. Trackers were placed inside boxes containing the products to documents its movement and the phones of UPS employees were tapped.
Police also obtained video footage of the group coordinating the operations.

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