United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DENVER - In February of 2017, the HIDTA Southern Colorado Drug Task-Force initiated an investigation titled Operation Double Dippin. The HIDTA Southern Colorado Task-Force is comprised of members from the Pueblo Police Department, Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Springs Police Department, Teller County Sherriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, and the Department of Homeland Security. This investigation was initiated with small street-level buys from narcotics dealers in Pueblo, Colorado. Based on this investigation, several initial Colorado State wire intercepts were initiated in coordination with the Pueblo County District Attorney’s Office. Once the breadth of the organization was realized as encompassing the entire Front Range of Colorado, the case was then adopted by the Colorado State Attorney General’s Office. 

Further intelligence gathered from this investigation identified three organizational distribution branches. The primary distribution cell was linked to the Payan Drug Trafficking Organization based in Mexico. The Payan DTO has been identified as a DTO distributing heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine to Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Washington, and other states. Within Colorado, the organization was distributing throughout the entire I-25 corridor, from Trinidad to Denver.

The Investigation continued to focus on large distribution cells in Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver. In addition, the investigation broadened to target distribution cells located in Phoenix, Arizona that were transporting narcotics for the Payan DTO into Colorado and the transportation of narcotics proceeds back into Mexico. In total, the investigation utilized 47 Colorado State wire intercepts, search warrants on vehicles and residences, and undercover and confidential source drug purchases. 

The results of this investigation led to the indictment and/or arrest by the Colorado State Attorney General’s office and by the Pueblo County District Attorney of 65 targets of investigation. To date, 40 of the 65 people charged have been arrested. This investigation resulted in the seizure of monetary assets valued at $1.25 million, seven vehicles, 31 firearms, 126.6 pounds (57.4 kilograms) of methamphetamine, 56.2 pounds (25.5 kilograms) of heroin, and 33.7 pounds (15.3 kilograms) of cocaine. 

This investigation was worked in conjunction and with the support of the Colorado State Attorney General’s Office, the Pueblo County District Attorney’s Office, the Pueblo Police Department Narcotics Unit, the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the DEA Phoenix Division and the DEA Albuquerque District Office. Enforcement operations in this investigation were supported by both the Pueblo Police Department SWAT Team and the Pueblo County SWAT team.