Authorities arrest about three dozen in Western Washington drug busts

SEATTLE – Authorities say they’ve arrested about three dozen people connected with a violent drug trafficking group in Western Washington.

The arrests Wednesday came as agents served search warrants in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Skagit and Thurston counties. Seattle U.S. Attorney Annette Hayes says it was the fourth in a series of joint federal-state takedowns of drug organizations in the area in recent months, leading to more than 80 arrests in all.

Investigators say the defendants have been involved in trafficking meth, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana.

According to prosecutors, associates of some of the arrested traffickers have been killed in shootings in King County. Some of the defendants were recorded on wiretaps discussing the shootings and planning to obtain guns.

In addition to drugs and guns, agents on Wednesday seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.