Meth Trafficking Ring Busted

CENTRALIA, Wash. — A drug trafficking ring has been dismantled with the arrests of six people in Oregon, Washington and California.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team seized over 105 pounds of methamphetamine that’s believed to have been trafficked from Mexico with a street value worth about $500,000.

Authorities say several people were selling large amounts of meth in several counties in Washington.

Several of the suspects appear to be related.

Police arrested two in Astoria; 45-year-old Hernestina Venegas-Gatica and 33-year-old Juan Tolentino-Chino.  47-year-old Cristobal Venegas-Diaz was arrested in Centralia; Jesus Venegas-Gatica, 35, was arrested in Lakewood; Jose Venegas-Gatica, 34, was arrested in Rochester; and 32-year-old Cutberto Hernandez-Gatica was arrested in Fresno.

JNET is comprised of members of the Centralia and Chehalis Police Departments, Washington State Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Administration.