2 Vancouver men arrested during sale of 80 lbs. of meth

Drug team investigators, with help from K9 Mando, seized 80 pounds of meth and arrested two Vancouver men.(Washington County Sheriff’s Office)
Published: Jan. 5, 2024 at 3:06 PM PST

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Two suspected drug traffickers from Vancouver have been arrested after being found with 80 lbs. of meth, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office - District of Oregon.

According to authorities, Homeland Security began investigating 26-year-old Luis Arnulfo Urioste Bracamontes in December, after learning of a drug trafficking organization in the region.

After gaining knowledge of the operation, the Westside Interagency Narcotics team set up a purchase of 80 lbs. of meth for $104,000 from Urioste, according to officials.

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On Thursday evening, the negotiated sale took place in a restaurant parking lot. Agents quickly arrested Urioste afterwards, as well as his associate 37-year-old Rafael Avina Torres.

The D.A.’s Office says both were taken into custody without incident and two cardboard boxes with roughly 80 lbs. of meth was seized.

A search warrant was soon executed on the house Urioste and Avina were seen at prior to their arrest. Once inside agents found several more pounds of meth, scales and a rifle.

Urioste and Avina made their first appearances in court Friday and were ordered detained pending further court proceedings.