Drug Trade Crackdown: Canyon County, Idaho

Locally, the war against drugs resulted in the breakup of some major drug rings over the past several years. Here is a look back at two of Canyon County's most sweeping anti-drug raids.

Cocaine: Operation White Wolf

• What: A nine-month cocaine trafficking investigation culminated with a swoop on Canyon County on April 3, 2008. Officers raided and scoured first through an eastern Nampa home and yard, then executed search warrants in nine more Nampa and Caldwell locations in an effort to locate additional quantities of cocaine, firearms and proceeds of the drug ring's activities.

• Arrests: Nine people — all Canyon County residents — were arrested on a range of charges in connection with the case.

• Major convictions: Nampa resident Abelardo Dominguez Ramos was convicted in 3rd District Court of trafficking cocaine and sentenced to 15 years with five years fixed. Ramos' son, Abelardo Dominguez Gomez, was convicted of conspiracy to traffic and delivery of cocaine and received a 25-year sentence with eight years fixed. Others convicted in the operation resulted in more than 40 years of combined maximum prison sentences.

• Target: Canyon County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Gearld Wolff described the major players as high-level traffickers with substantial out-of-state and possibly out-of-country sources of supply. Others involved were mid-level local dealers who were dealing with 1/4 to 1/2 pound quantities.

• What was seized: During the nine-month probe, undercover investigators reported purchasing and seizing more than 11 pounds of cocaine, valued at more than $180,000 on the streets.

• How the dealers operated: According to police, the suspects — all residents of Nampa and Caldwell — operated a large-scale cocaine trafficking outfit that smuggled cocaine from California and Arizona into Canyon County.

• How the bust worked: The major drug bust involved local, state and federal agencies. The case spanned southern Idaho, and officers served 10 state and federal search warrants in an effort to seize quantities of cocaine being brought into the state. The investigation showed that the conspiracy covered California, Oregon, Arizona and some contact with Texas, with Canyon County as the destination for shipments that would be broken down for local street sale and regional wholesale distribution, according to Wolff.

Meth: Operation Mountain Lion

• What: "Operation Mountain Lion was one of the most significant operations that has occurred in Idaho in recent memory because of the impact it had on the methamphetamine trafficking in the area. It took out a large number of people who were involved in pound quantities of methamphetamine," Assistant U.S. Attorney Monte Stiles said.

• Arrests: In one week in July 2007, nearly 60 suspects were arrested. In the 18-month, multi-state sting, law officers took a total of 164 suspects into custody.

• Major convictions: At the federal level, 15 defendants were convicted and received sentences ranging from a few years to 15 years fixed.

• Target: The operation was designed to take out dealers and traffickers of methamphetamine along a "pipeline" route from Mexico into California, Arizona, Nevada and Idaho.

• What was seized: In 24 hours in Canyon County, police confiscated 15 pounds of crystal meth, 77 firearms, 20 vehicles and more than $100,000 in cash. Since the start or the operation, officials said they confiscated more than 61 pounds of meth across Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and California and seized 95 guns and 49 vehicles.

• How the dealers operated: Investigators said those arrested were part of two large groups that got their meth directly from Mexico and were responsible for moving more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine a month. Three tiers of involvement were investigated: a source of supply in Las Vegas, people in control of a "stash house" in Caldwell, and local methamphetamine distributors throughout Canyon County who sold to Treasure Valley residents.

• How the bust worked: The sting took place in 10 states across the western U.S., but the bulk of the arrests — 48 — were in Nampa. The operation was developed under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force — the federal government's primary enforcement tool for identifying, investigating and prosecuting high-level drug trafficking organizations, Assistant U.S. Attorney Monte Stiles said.

"Our guys started this op with hand-to-hand buys and they really developed this case into something bigger," Nampa Police Chief Bill Augsburger told the Idaho Press-Tribune in July 2007. The chief said through hard work and long hours put in by his officers, the operation grew large enough to call in the help of other local, state and federal agencies. "(Nampa Police) kept working it and getting bigger and bigger fish."

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