Investigators announce massive meth bust in Oklahoma

Oklahoma drug enforcement officials announced on Friday the seizure of hundreds of pounds in methamphetamine, an action authorities described as one of the largest drug busts in state history,

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said a multi-agency investigation, which started in July, targeted a drug-trafficking organization that was smuggling massive quantities of meth from Mexico into central and southern Oklahoma, according to a statement from the agency.

“The investigation led to search warrants being served (mid-August) at several locations where shipments of meth were being stored upon arrival in Oklahoma,” said Mark Woodward, public information officer for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

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Woodward said the search warrants led to the seizure of nearly 600 pounds (or 270 kilograms) of meth, with an estimated value of $3 million, which he described as one of the largest meth seizures in Oklahoma history.

“Being able to get 270 kilos off the streets, no doubt, is saving lives, but we don't know if all of this is staying in Oklahoma,” Woodward said. “It could have the far-reaching impact of saving lives beyond our state, because this obviously could have been trafficked anywhere throughout the United States.” 

Four firearms were also found during the investigation, and five people were arrested. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol assisted the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics with the investigation. The Ardmore Police Department also assisted investigators with the arrest and transport of five individuals connected with the seizures, according to Ardmore Police Capt. Claude Henry.

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Because the investigation remains active, officials said they would not release names or addresses, but Woodward expects additional arrests as the case develops. He said meth continues to be “the state's No. 1 killer” since the 1990s.

“It just doesn’t get the same type of headlines now, but when we get all of the autopsy reports from the medical examiner’s office, the drug that is in more autopsy reports than any other drug-related death is meth,” Woodward said. “It continues to take lives, and groups like this that are putting large quantities of it on our streets are directly responsible for these deaths.”