Recent Major Drug Bust Part Of Mexican Cartel

Nearly 40 people, many from Louisville, were recently arrested after police seized 252 pounds of meth and 12 kilos of cocaine at a Bullitt County gas station.

The bust, touted as the infiltration of a “major drug organization,” was the latest result of a federal investigation into a pipeline of illegal drugs making their way from Mexico across the border and up to Kentucky and Indiana.

The DEA said drugs purchased in California are priced low, but once they make their way to Louisville, they are marked up much higher. The reason for that, partially, is the risk involved in transporting the drugs, risk that is passed on to the buyer. One kilo of cocaine in Louisville is $23,000 and in Los Angeles it is $12,000. One pound of meth in Louisville is $1,700 and in Los Angeles it is $750.

The DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation and Owensboro Police Department worked on the large investigation conducted by the Organized Crime and Drug and Enforcement Task Force. Investigators said between March 2023 and August 2024, agents received a tip that led them to a Love’s gas station in Shepherdsville in Bullitt County, where two of the suspects met up.

Investigators said Deandre Williams and Djuan Truss were seen removing large boxes from a tractor trailer and placing them in the back seat of a pickup truck. The boxes contained more than 252 pounds of crystal meth and 12 kilos of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than $1 million.

Investigators said the drugs were believed to be headed to Western Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Williams, Truss and 35 others were put behind bars with 13 of the suspects being from Louisville.

Here is a list of defendants named in the federal indictments:

D’Andre Williams, 40, of Adelanto, California
Elmondo Elliott, 55, of Los Angeles, California
Desmond Knox, 50, of Menifree, California
Bobby Douglas, 56, of Lexington, Kentucky
Brandan Arnold, 42, of Louisville
Antonio Arnold, 44, of Louisville
Dwayne Evans, 35, of Louisville
Antionio Evans, 42, of Louisville
Tanaja Lee, 23, of Louisville
Davonte Hoskins, 28, of Louisville
Jason Salyer, 50, of Louisville
Rayshawn Spearman Sr., 39, of Louisville
Rayshawn Spearman Jr., 26, of Louisville
Melanie Surrell, 45, of Louisville
Djuan Truss, 42, of Louisville
Gardner Webb, 31, of Louisville
Deandre Williams, 27, of Louisville
Richard Boarman, 48, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Joshua Estap, 40, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Jonathan Hawkins, 43, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Jeramey Hawkins, 46, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Cameron Jackson, 24, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Damone McGuire, 29, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Timothy Roach, 37, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Diana Miranda, 38, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Gregory Nuckols, 61, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Julia Parrish, 53, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Justin Riley, 41, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Timothy Roberts, 46, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Shalonna Slaughters, 57, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Joe Turner, 46, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Tyler Vinson, 32, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Jamie Voyles, 44, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Hope Warsinsky, 39, of Owensboro, Kentucky
Zachariah Nance, 44, of Utica, Kentucky
Charles Nelson, 41, of Utica, Kentucky

Agents also seized more than $250,000, dozens of guns and 11 vehicles.
Source: WDRB