Some of
the over 30 pounds of heroin seized during the investigation.
In addition, law enforcement officers seized $117,000 in U.S.
currency during Operation Black Ice.
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Operation
Black Ice resulted in the takedown of a major heroin organization
and the arrest of 50 major heroin distributors.
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 September
2001
OPERATION BLACK ICE
On September
26, 2001, DEA agents in Southern California and St. Louis, along
with local law enforcement, culminated a seven month investigation
with the arrest of eleven members of the Jose Serrano heroin trafficking
organization. The investigation succeeded in great part because
of the cooperation of so many agencies, including: Los Angeles District
Attorney’s Office, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, Police
Departments in Burbank, Downey, South Gate, and St. Louis, Arizona
Department of Public Safety, Palm Springs Narcotics Task Force,
and the U.S. Customs Service.
 Operation
Black Ice revealed a violent, geographically diverse, family-based
organization with tentacles reaching into Mexico, L.A., Fort Worth,
Texas, Las Vegas, Nevada, Portland, Oregon, and St. Louis, Missouri.
Law enforcement in all these areas worked diligently to coordinate
intelligence and enforcement efforts to disrupt the flow of heroin
and money.
At the news
conference announcing the arrests, DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson
said, “This case illustrates that heroin trafficking and violence
go hand-in-hand. Nationally there is a concern that heroin traffickers
are making new inroads into our nation’s urban areas. This
case is a strong statement that heroin traffickers should not target
our neighborhoods.”
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