KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A huge, local drug-trafficking conspiracy ended with 23 people in federal prison Wednesday night. The suspects allegedly ran two $1 million dollar drug rings.
Operation Suspicious Minds was a federal drug sting organized by DEA, ATF, federal prosecutors and Kansas City police. In two separate but similar cases, they busted the two rings. Each allegedly was involved in selling kilos of cocaine and large quantities of methamphetamine, and marijuana. All of it was allegedly sold in Kansas City's northeast neighborhood.
"Drugs lead to crime," said Johnny Bullard, a neighbor of one of the suspects.
The first case accuses 11 people of drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession. Most are illegal aliens from Mexico. The lead defendant is a woman named Dora San-Miguel, who owns two homes in Kansas City.
The person who rents one of San-Miguel's homes claims he doesn't know her.
"I rarely see anybody over there," said neighbor Johnny Bullard. "It's surprising. I haven't seen any great amount of traffic over there. It's been quiet."
Defendants in the second case include Custodio and Noe Garcia.
"They're just good guys," said a former employer who wanted to remain anonymous. "Maybe they got caught up in something. I have no idea."
That former employer knows several of the suspects. He even sold the Garcia's a house in Kansas City's northeast side. Prosecutors plan to seize it through forfeiture if they get a conviction. It has new windows and a new front door. The Garcia's former employer believes they bought it with legitimate money.
"What I know of these guys is that they were, you know, loyal employees when they worked for me and hard working guys, very dedicated," he said.
