Four people were arrested in Washington state on drug trafficking charges, according to U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.

Seven people overall have been indicted in the Western District of Washington. Charges stem from an investigation that began with a drug trafficking ring in Pittsburgh, PA.

All defendants have been taken into custody. Those arrested in Seattle are currently being detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac.

“This investigation shows how drug trafficking rings interact across the country – drugs coming into Arizona are then transferred to distributors as geographically distinct as Seattle and Pittsburgh,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “Prosecutors and law enforcement here have worked cooperatively to arrest and prosecute the key players responsible for hundreds of thousands of potentially deadly doses.”

“Cartel activity of this nature is of particular concern to HSI, and we continue to prioritize investigations into individuals and organizations that illicitly introduce deadly fentanyl and firearms into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “We can’t stop as innocent lives are at risk.”

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According to justice department records, Bryce Hill, a key member of the drug conspiracy, was arrested in Seattle on Jan. 11, 2023. Hill has been charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Investigators seized five firearms – including assault-style weapons and those with extended magazines – from Hill’s Seattle residence.

Law enforcement seized about 27 kilos of fentanyl pills at Hill’s apartment, which were located in the suitcases they had traveled in from Arizona. Law enforcement also seized more than $387,000 in cash.

“This organization sold their illicit narcotics throughout the U.S., from the Southwest border to the Pacific Northwest and all the way to the East Coast,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division.

“Our federal partnerships once again have proven invaluable in defeating these organizations and holding their members accountable. According to DEA labs, 6 out of 10 fake pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. With the seizure in one Seattle apartment, our partnerships saved 162,000 lives,” Galvan continued.