Five people were arrested in Bellingham and Ferndale on Wednesday, March 20 in connection to a drug trafficking organization, according to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office. More than 3 pounds of powdered fentanyl and $6,000 in cash were also seized during the raid.
The investigation that led to the arrests and seizures was led by the Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force in response to increased reports of opioid overdoses and open-air drug use in the City of Bellingham, according to the sheriff’s office.
From Jan. 1 to March 10, at least 63 overdose-related calls were made to Whatcom County Dispatch. That’s up from the same period last year when there were 24 overdose related calls.
“We continue to be dedicated to eliminating deadly drugs from our community,” Whatcom Sheriff Donnell Tanksley said in a news release sent Friday.
The Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration Bellingham Resident Office to surveil the area and found connections between a known Mexican drug trafficking organization and local drug re-distributors who were suspected of selling large quantities of fentanyl in Bellingham and Whatcom County.
The investigators, along with Homeland Security Investigations, Washington State Patrol and Customs and Border Protection Air served search warrants in the 6000 block of Neevel Road, east of Ferndale, and the 53000 block of Guide Meridian in Bellingham, according to the news release.
While investigators were serving the search warrant at the location on Neevel Road, a vehicle drove by with a person of interest as a passenger, according to the news release. He was arrested and a plastic container was found under the seat of the vehicle with a white powder suspected to be fentanyl.
Along with the 3.24 pounds of powder fentanyl and cash seized, law enforcement also found an illegally modified shotgun, multiple cell phones, suspected drug ledger notes, multiple empty baggies, a scale with residue and shotgun shells.
The five men arrested have charges ranging from delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute, unlawful firearm possession and alien in possession of a firearm. The men are:
- Victor Alcala Arellanes, 35. Held on a $250,000 bond;
- Jesus Garcia Covarrubias, 24. No bail allowed;
- Carlos Ramos Navarrette, 23. No bail allowed;
- Carlos Monreal Ceballos, 29. Held on a $250,000 bond;
- Theron Chin, 48. He was already in custody at the Whatcom County Work Center at the time of the other arrests.
Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund announced an executive order in February to tackle the rising fentanyl crisis by adding extra police patrols downtown and creating a first-responder office near the Commercial Street Parking Garage.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
