The war on drugs presses on in Arizona, as Attorney General Kris Mayes’s office announced a substantial sentencing for a significant player in the local drug trade. According to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Victor Manuel Vargas will face a hefty 15-year sentence in the state’s prison system following a January 7 ruling. Vargas’ detention, on charges of running an illegal enterprise and possessing a cache of hazardous drugs intended for sale, is a success for those who wear the badge and seek to snuff out the supply of illicit chemicals that plague the streets.
In a statement provided by the Attorney General’s team, Mayes articulated an unwavering stance against narco-traffickers that infiltrate Arizona with perilous narcotics: “It is a top priority to find and stop the criminal drug organizations bringing dangerous drugs to Arizona, like the trafficking ring we brought to justice this week,” and reaffirmed the coalition of local and federal forces working in tandem to disrupt this dark undercurrent of fentanyl and other drugs. fl Vargas’ conviction is only one, yet crucial, thread in the bigger, convoluted tapestry of drug trafficking that authorities such as the DEA and Scottsdale Police Department are working to unravel.
The sheer volume of drugs and related paraphernalia seized by law enforcement during the investigation that preceded Vargas’ trial underscores the announcement of his sentence; the trove included up to 142 pounds of methamphetamine, a staggering 53 pounds of fentanyl, which translates to roughly 241,000 pills masquerading as oxycodone but tainted with the lethal fentanyl, 3 pounds of cocaine, and 1.5 pounds of heroin, along with a reserve of $24,000 cash and a han These data, as detailed on the Attorney General’s website, paint a bleak picture of Vargas’ drug landscape.
Justice serves his accused accomplices as Vargas awaits his sentence. Two co-defendants await a court date, their fate unknown as the state’s case progresses through the Attorney General’s Drug and Racketeering Enforcement Section.