Member of multistate drug trafficking ring that operated in Arizona sentenced

PHOENIX — A member of a drug trafficking ring that spanned across multiple states, including Arizona, has been sentenced to one year in jail and three years on probation, authorities announced on Thursday.

Lino Bol, 27, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the scheme in late August, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

In addition to admitting to one count of illegally conducting an enterprise, Bol also pleaded guilty to attempted transportation for sale of a narcotic drug, prosecutors said.

He is scheduled to serve his one-year incarceration in the Pima County Jail.

What did Texas man accused of fentanyl smuggling in Arizona do?

The drug trafficking organization Bol was a part of operated in Arizona, Texas, Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska and Illinois. He worked for the organization’s Texas cell.

He and his co-conspirators sent almost $70,000 to Tucson in exchange for 16 packages believed to contain fentanyl, prosecutors said.

These packages contained around 16,000 pills of the deadly drug.

“My office will continue to work tirelessly to dismantle drug trafficking organizations that ship fentanyl into Arizona and our local communities,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a Thursday news release.

The deadly drug has been devastating for communities across the state. Just in Maricopa County, over three people die every day on average due to fentanyl.

Not only that, but the fentanyl smuggled into the U.S. is becoming more potent, according to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.

How did Arizona authorities catch member of drug trafficking ring?

Law enforcement discovered Bol while investigating members of the criminal enterprise who were shipping large amounts of fentanyl to drug dealers in different states.

Specifically, they found him and his co-conspirators while analyzing financial, shipping and phone records from members like Bol who lived outside of Arizona.

Bol and the other members of the drug trafficking ring used cash and various money transfer apps to pay for fentanyl, prosecutors said.

These payments often came with shipping records that originated in Tucson.

Authorities intercepted some of the trafficked packages. This snatched large quantifies of fentanyl pills off the street, prosecutors said.

“I’m proud of the dedicated agents, investigators, and prosecutors at the Attorney General’s Office who are working every day to protect Arizonans,” Mayes said.

“Those engaged in illicit drug trafficking should be on notice that my office, along with our law enforcement partners, will find you and bring you to justice.”