The head of a drug trafficking organization and six others were arrested following a U.S. Drug Enforcement investigation into the Erick Erives drug ring, authorities said Wednesday.
Erives and six others were arrested after a 28-count indictment was issued by the Arizona Attorney General's Office, for multiple drug charges, money laundering and fraud, said DEA spokeswoman, Erica Curry.
The indictment alleges that Erives employed drug load coordinators, drivers and multiple stash houses in Tucson, Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Huachuca City and Naco, Curry said.
The investigation into the Erives operation began in September 2014 and led to the seizure of almost 1,600 lbs. of marijuana, 122 kilograms of heroin, ecstasy and mushrooms. Agents believe that several of the employees were recruited while attending high school in Sierra Vista and brought into the drug trafficking organization through meetings at a skate park near Veteran's Memorial Park, Curry said.
The two-day enforcement operation, leading to the arrests included DEA Agents, Homeland Security investigators, U.S. U.S. Border Patrol, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
Those arrested include:
Erick A. Erives, 29, Tucson
Sorina N. Morales, 28, Tucson
Patrick J. Bramwell, 20, Sierra Vista
Cody D. Avery, 22, Sierra Visa
Mercedes V. Anello, 21, Huachuca City
Francisco Chavez-Bustamonte, 26, Sierra Vista
Lorenzo Cordova-Bustamante, 54, Sierra Vista
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office will pursue the prosecution.
