A multi-agency narcotics investigation led to the arrest of two Thurston County men accused of crimes related to drug trafficking.
Law enforcement separately arrested a 24-year-old Lacey man and a 31-year-old Tumwater man. Both were booked into Thurston County jail on Thursday, according to the jail log.
The Thurston County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests Friday. They resulted from "Operation Crazy Ivan," which targeted a local drug trafficking organization, according to the release.
"This joint investigation has disrupted and dismantled a major source of narcotics distribution the Thurston County area," the Sheriff's Office news release says.
Tim Rudloff, the commander of the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force that led the operation, described the Lacey man as the kingpin of the organization. With him in custody, Rudloff said "Operation Crazy Ivan" has concluded and the task force will turn their attention to whoever may attempt to fill his place.
In addition to the task force, Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation participated in the operation, according to the release.
The Sheriff's Office alleges the drug trafficking organization actively distributed large quantities of Mexican heroin, cocaine and fentanyl pills.
As part of the operation, the release says law enforcement executed a search warrant that uncovered about one pound of fentanyl pills, over a pound of heroin, one and a half pounds of cocaine, multiple firearms and $54,000 in cash.
Overall, the operation has led law enforcement to seize more than five pounds of heroin, one and a half pounds of fentanyl, 1-1/2 pounds of cocaine, two assault rifles, a shotgun, five handguns and over $100,000 in cash.
Two probable cause documents include statements describing the alleged crimes from the perspective of the Narcotics Task Force.
The first statement accuses the Lacey man of multiple crimes, including two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, heroin, and five counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
The man cannot own a firearm due to a prior second-degree robbery conviction in Thurston County, per the statement.
Additionally, the Lacey man is accused of three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm. The three counts involve oxycodone, heroin and cocaine.
The investigation into this man started after other arrestees identified him as a high-level narcotics dealer, according to the statement.
The task force observed the man selling more than 80 grams of heroin to an informant the week of Aug. 15-21 and again between Aug. 20 to Sept. 2, per the statement.
On Wednesday, the statement indicates investigators looked through the man's home and car in the 5700 block of Pattison Lake Drive Southeast in Lacey.
Task force detectives later contacted and arrested the man "without incident" on the 8000 block of Ninth Way Southeast.
Inside his car, investigators allegedly found a handgun and $104. However, the statement indicates the home had a plethora of drugs and firearms.
At the home, investigators allegedly uncovered 413.7 grams of blue pills marked "M30" which are suspected of being laced with fentanyl, 248.2 grams of black tar heroin, 547.2 grams of cocaine, $45,366 in a duffle bag and $5,375 throughout the residence.
Additionally, investigators seized an AR-15 rifle with a loaded magazine and three loaded handguns.
As for the Tumwater man, a probable cause statement accuses him of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, heroin.
In February 2020, a confidential source identified the man as a known drug dealer. At the time, the man lived in the 1500 block of Decatur Street in Olympia, per the statement.
On Feb. 25, 2020, the task force observed their source exchange $300 for 4.1 grams of heroin from the man at a Grocery Outlet parking lot, according to the statement.
Rudloff told The Olympian his task force held off on arresting the Tumwater man until Thursday because they wanted to further their investigation into the overall organization. This approach eventually led them to the Lacey man who they had not yet identified in early 2020, he said.
