Feds Charge 19 In Alleged Milwaukee-Based Drug Ring

Federal prosecutors have charged 19 suspects in an alleged drug ring based in Milwaukee.

U.S. Attorney Gregory Haanstad says law officers arrested all of the suspects Wednesday. The suspects are charged in connection with an alleged drug conspiracy, money laundering and bankruptcy fraud operation that distributed heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.

The defendants live in the Milwaukee area, Chicago and Burlington, Iowa. The case is part of a long-term federal drug and money laundering investigation.

Officers also executed 17 federal search warrants in Wisconsin and Illinois and one state warrant in Iowa. Authorities seized about 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, a half-kilogram of heroin, 21 guns, eight vehicles and an undetermined amount of cash.

The case comes three months after two similar drug busts by federal and state agents in Milwaukee. But Haanstad said this isn’t a matter of arresting one group that took over for others.

“With the type of cases we’re focused on here, we’re not dealing with street level dealers where those substitution effects might be more prevalent. We’re taking on large-scale identified drug trafficking organizations nearer the top of chain of distribution. So, those individual prosecutions can have more of an impact, ” Haanstad said at a Milwaukee news conference.

Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said more probes are underway. The arrests come as the Milwaukee County medical examiner reports investigating three more probable drug deaths Wednesday, possibly related to the heroin and opioid epidemic.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated with additional reporting from WPR at 6:30 a.m., Thursday, December 7, 2017.