KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — A drug ring that was a scourge In south west Michigan, has been busted up and its ringleaders charged in federal court.
They were dealing crystal meth by the pound, a drug that ruins lives and burns out people, and had a distribution network that operated from the Michigan border to Battle Creek, and was based in Kalamazoo.
According to federal indictments, Noel Zaldana and Thomas Cowley were the ringleaders, with a network of half a dozen distributors scattered around the region.
They used the U.S. Postal service to ship their product in from a source in Arizona, to homes and music studios in Kalamazoo County, and used established banks to transfer funds and make large payments.
After a ten month long investigation, using informants and snitches, Federal and Local investigators raided 8 locations in the region this week, arresting the two ringleaders and their 6 distributors.
The suspects who were not charged in Federal court yesterday, will be charged today. More arrests may be coming.
They are charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute over 50 grams of Meth, a crime that could mean 10-years to life.
