Arizona grand jury indicts UPS employees in drug trafficking ring
Dec 19, 2019, 4:45 AM | Updated: 4:42 pm
PHOENIX — An Arizona grand jury indicted 11 individuals, including four UPS employees, last month for their roles in trafficking drugs through company facilities in Tucson.
The investigation into the drug trafficking ring began in 2017 after authorities discovered that the UPS employees were using the shipment center to send illegal drugs and other contraband, according to the indictment.
The employees were shipping the packages undetected across the country by using closed business accounts, the indictment said.
The other defendant helped the UPS employees complete the trafficking, according to the indictment.
Additionally, undercover officers shipped and received illegal packages by routing them through the shipment center.
Officials also identified four of the defendants as allegedly being involved in the manufacture and sale of thousands of counterfeit THC vape pens.
Collectively, the defendants face 48 felony counts, including money laundering, transportation of marijuana for sale, transportation of narcotic drugs for sale, misconduct involving weapons and illegally conducting an enterprise.
