Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Divisions
      • Atlanta
        • Atlanta Leadership
        • Atlanta Contacts
      • Caribbean
        • Caribbean Leadership
        • Caribbean Contacts
      • Chicago
        • Chicago Leadership
        • Chicago Contacts
      • Dallas
        • Dallas Leadership
        • Dallas Contacts
      • Denver
        • Denver Leadership
        • Denver Contacts
      • Detroit
        • Detroit Contacts
      • El Paso
        • El Paso Contacts
      • Headquarters
      • Houston
        • Houston Leadership
        • Houston Contacts
      • Los Angeles
        • Los Angeles Leadership
        • Los Angeles Contacts
      • Louisville
        • Louisville Leadership
        • Louisville Contacts
      • Miami
        • Miami Leadership
        • Miami Contacts
      • New England
        • New England Leadership
        • New England Contacts
      • New Jersey
        • New Jersey Leadership
        • New Jersey Contacts
      • New Orleans
        • New Orleans Leadership
        • New Orleans Contacts
      • New York
        • New York Leadership
        • New York Contacts
      • Omaha
        • Omaha Leadership
        • Omaha Contacts
      • Philadelphia
        • Philadelphia Leadership
        • Philadelphia Contacts
      • Phoenix
        • Phoenix Leadership
        • Phoenix Contacts
      • San Diego
        • San Diego Leadership
        • San Diego Contacts
      • San Francisco
        • San Francisco Leadership
        • San Francisco Contacts
      • Seattle
        • Seattle Contacts
      • St. Louis
        • St. Louis Leadership
        • St. Louis Contacts
      • Washington, DC
        • Washington Leadership
        • Washington Contacts
    • DEA Museum
    • Foreign Offices
      • Africa
      • Andean
      • Caribbean
      • Europe
      • Far East
      • Middle East
      • North and Central America
      • Southern Cone
    • Operational Divisions
      • Aviation Division
      • Diversion Control Division
    • Wall of Honor
    • Contact Us
      • Submit a Tip
      • Extortion Scam
      • Congressional and Public Affairs
      • Social Media Directory
  • What We Do
    • Orden público
      • DEA Office of Training
        • Office of Training Programs
      • El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC)
        • Leadership
        • Mission
        • Services
        • Contacts
      • Forensic Sciences
        • Computer Forensics Program
        • Environmental Management
        • Laboratories
      • Intelligence
      • Operations
        • Administrative Law Judges
        • DEA Asset Forfeiture
        • Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program
        • HIDTA
        • OCDETF
        • State and Local Task Forces
    • Education and Prevention
      • Family Summit 2022
      • Operation Engage
      • Community Outreach
      • Just Think Twice
      • Campus Drug Prevention
      • Get Smart About Drugs
      • Operation Prevention
    • Drug Information
      • Drug Policy
      • Drug Scheduling
      • The Controlled Substances Act
    • News
      • Alerts
      • Press Releases
      • Most Wanted Fugitives
        • All Fugitives
      • Stories
      • Events
      • Speeches
      • Testimony
    • Campaigns
      • One Pill Can Kill
        • Partner Toolbox
        • Social Media Campaign
      • DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
      • Red Ribbon
        • Kiki and the History of Red Ribbon Week
        • Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
      • Contact Your Local Recruiter
      • Special Agent FAQs
      • Special Agent Job Announcements
      • What it takes to be a DEA Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
      • Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements
      • Intelligence Research Specialists FAQs
      • Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist
    • Forensic Sciences Careers
    • Professional & Administrative Careers
    • Student & Entry Level Careers
    • How to Apply
      • Equal Opportunity Employer
      • Employment Requirements
      • How To Claim Veterans' Preference
      • Priority Consideration
      • Benefits
      • Veterans and People With Disabilities
  • Resources
    • Recovery Resources
    • Data and Statistics
      • Domestic Arrests
      • Staffing and Budget
    • FOIA
      • About FOIA
      • Contact DEA FOIA
      • Make a Request
      • What Happens After Making a Request
      • Requester Categories
      • Fees Charged
      • Fee Waiver
      • FOIA FAQ
      • FOIA Library
      • FOIA Logs and Reports
      • FOIA Additional Resources
      • Additional FOIA Links
      • FOIA Exemptions
      • What Are Exclusions?
      • Privacy Act
      • Privacy Act Exemptions
      • Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • Victim Witness Assistance Program
      • Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

  • Search
  • Full Menu

Main Menu

  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • Careers
  • Resources
  • Submit A Tip
  • Get Updates
  • English
  • ES

Drug Enforcement Administration

Brian S. Besser Special Agent in Charge
Denver
@DEADenverDiv
September 05, 2018
Contact: Steve Kotecki
Phone Number: 720-537-5518
For Immediate Release

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Colorado Attorney General’s Office and the West Metro Drug Task Force dismantle international cocaine trafficking ring

Operation White Whale has resulted in the seizure of 134 kilograms of cocaine and over $1.2 million

DENVER— The Drug Enforcement Administration, in partnership with the Colorado Attorney General Cynthia H. Coffman, today announced the dismantling of an international cocaine trafficking organization headed by two Colorado residents.  Operation White Whale launched in April 2017, and has resulted in 16 indictments, and the seizure of 134 kilograms of cocaine with a street value over $5.3 million, and $1.2 million in U.S. currency.

“Cocaine use is making a comeback across the nation” stated William T. McDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Denver Field Division.  “This investigation is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when DEA offices across the nation, agents stationed abroad, and our state and local counterparts, work together to dismantle a substantial cocaine supply network.”

The DEA Denver Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force headed the law enforcement investigation in partnership with the West Metro Drug Task Force. Sixteen individuals have been charged with participating in an international drug trafficking network that transported cocaine from Mexico into the United States to a distribution network in Atlanta, GA.  This investigation included the interception of 18 target telephones, and was investigated jointly with the DEA Atlanta Field Division - HIDTA Group 4, the DEA Charleston SC Resident Office, the DEA Juarez Mexico Resident Office, and the DEA Beijing, China Country Office.

According to the indictment, the organization was led by two Colorado residents who coordinated with an associate in Atlanta, GA, to distribute multiple kilos of cocaine on a monthly basis and to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds.  Through the use of court-authorized wiretap intercepts, investigators discovered that the head of this group, working from his residence in Greeley, Colorado, arranged to import large quantities of cocaine from various sources from the Republic of Mexico into the U.S.  At times, the group utilized semi-trailer trucks from a Colorado-based trucking company to transport the cocaine throughout the southern U.S.  The group also used a variety of methods —including concealing bank currency in load vehicles and utilizing wire remittances — to transfer the earned drug proceeds back to the sources of supply in Mexico. The drug trafficking organization also utilized money laundering operations run by Chinese Nationals to launder the proceeds through Chinese banks and back to Mexico.

On Aug. 13, 2018, a Colorado State grand jury returned an indictment charging 16 defendants with 9 total counts including violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and money laundering. On Aug. 15, 2018, the Denver Strike Force Group, with critical assistance from the Denver Special Response Team, DEA Atlanta, DEA St Louis, and the DEA Boise Resident Office, executed a multi-jurisdictional takedown that resulted in the execution of multiple search warrants and the successful arrest of eight of the indicted members of the target organization.

The DEA Strike Force investigation included agents and officers from DEA, the Denver Police Department, the West Metro Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, US Marshall’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, Aurora Police Department, and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force.

"This case is the result of a collaborative effort at all levels of law enforcement across the country and internationally,” said Attorney General Coffman. “I am grateful to all our partners for their hard work. My office remains committed to protecting public safety and fighting against anyone who tries to bring poison into our communities and sell it to our citizens.”

The filing of criminal charges or an indictment is merely a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime. Each defendant should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. The criminal matters have been venued in Weld County and will be prosecuted by the AG’s office in partnership with the 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Cocaine
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Locator

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Domestic Divisions
    • Foreign Offices
    • Contact Us
    • DEA Museum
  • What We Do
    • Drug Prevention
    • Law Enforcement
    • Diversion Control Division
    • News
  • Careers
    • Overview
    • Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
  • Resources
    • Drug Information
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Equal Opportunity Employer
    • FOIA
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • VWAP
  • Doing Business
    with the DEA
    • Overview
    • Current Vendors
    • Prospective Vendors
    • Security Clauses
    • Security Forms
    • Small Business Program
  • Policies
    • Accessibility, Plug-ins & Policy
    • Legal Policies & Disclaimers
    • No FEAR Act
    • Privacy Policy
    • U.S. Department of Justice EEO Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Whistleblower Protection
Home

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DEA.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram

DEA Contact Center

(202) 307-1000 info@dea.gov
Contact the Webmaster