CRIME BLOTTER

Burien Police, led by K9 Quinn, seize county’s largest-ever fentanyl powder bust

Nov 3, 2023, 3:42 PM | Updated: 5:24 pm

burien police fentanyl...

K9 Quinn posing in front of 95 pounds of methamphetamine and 41 pounds of fentanyl powder. (Photo courtesy of Burien Police)

(Photo courtesy of Burien Police)

Local detectives confiscated 95 pounds of methamphetamine and 41 pounds of fentanyl powder after making a traffic stop led by K9 Quinn in Burien last Friday.

King County sheriff’s detectives intercepted a suspected large-scale drug trafficker in Seattle’s Industrial District, leading to the agency’s largest-ever individual fentanyl powder bust.

“I can’t thank your detectives and K9 Quinn enough for their exceptional work in protecting our community,” the Burien Police Department said, according to The Burien Town Blog.

Legal action in Washington: Gig Harbor teen gymnast sues ex-coach, gym over sexual misconduct allegations

In a separate previous operation, Burien officers seized 44 pounds of methamphetamine during the previous weekend in another traffic stop spearheaded by K9 Quinn and his K9 police unit. K9 Quinn indicated to his handler there was something illegal in the car. After acquiring a search warrant, police verified there was a whole lot of “something illegal” in the car and eventually uncovered 44.3 pounds of methamphetamine.

The combined street value of the drugs was an estimated $2.6 million.

“Sometimes people ask why we do interdiction stops,” Burien police stated according to The Burien Town Blog. “According to the DEA’s calculations, this amount of fentanyl powder has the potential to kill 10 million people. Think about the capacity for harm in this one shipment and you understand why we will never stop our balanced approach to this complex issue, both supporting our partners that work to reduce addiction and holding those who bring this poison into our community accountable for their criminal behavior.”

The figure for the suspected amount of fatalities came from calculations by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

The alleged drug trafficker, Bruno Moreno Camacho, was arrested Oct. 27 and faces two counts of violating the Uniform Controlled Substances Act and one count of conspiring to violate the same statute. Camacho, 27, is currently in jail with a $100,000 bail.

The investigation into Moreno, who is from Sinaloa, Mexico, began in September when detectives learned about him from a confidential informant, according to charging documents acquired by The Daily Chronicle. Once he was arrested, Moreno told detectives he was trafficking drugs for his boss in Mexico

Quinn is a former Purina Puppy Chow model who has been on Burien’s police force since last November. Quinn’s first bust occurred when he joined the tail end of a year-long investigation into a highly organized group of alleged drug distributors with family connections to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. Quinn helped uncover an estimated $2.5 million worth of crystal meth, fentanyl and black-tar heroin, according to The Seattle Times.

More on crime in Washington: Suspect wanted in Poulsbo murder caught, second man remains at large

Quinn’s tenure with the Burien Police Department also included being a part of Operation “Jade,” the Burien Town Blog explained during the summer. Operation “Jade” was a drug bust anchored by both the King County Sheriff’s Office and Burien Police that uncovered 290,000 M-30 and fentanyl pills, 9.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, one pound of cocaine, 5.7 pounds of heroin, $52,043 in cash and a stolen firearm.

Last month, Quinn led a traffic stop where police discovered the driver had 61,000 fentanyl tablets, 2.2 pounds of cocaine, 25 grams of heroin and a bulletproof vest in his possession.

Crime Blotter

town hall seattle wedding...

KIRO Newsradio staff

Judge dismisses double-murder case against man accused of Seattle ax attacks

A King County judge dismissed the double-murder case against Liam Kryger Thursday.

12 hours ago

20 cats AirTag stolen vehicle Tacoma Truck...

Frank Lenzi

Deputies find 20 cats in stolen truck after AirTag tracks down vehicle in Tacoma

An AirTag led Pierce County Sheriff's Deputies to a stolen truck — and 20 cats — in Tacoma this week.

13 hours ago

tacoma homicide arrest...

James Lynch

Teen suspect arrested in Tacoma North End homicide; second suspect also in custody

Tacoma Police have arrested a teenage suspect in connection with a fatal shooting on the city’s North End, bringing the number of people in custody to two.

17 hours ago

pierce county homicide shot...

James Lynch

Man found fatally shot in Pierce County, homicide investigation underway

Pierce County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) detectives are investigating a fatal shooting after a man was found dead near 18th Avenue S. and 102nd Street S.

19 hours ago

Bothell Fred Meyer fire arson arrest...

MyNorthwest Staff

Bothell Police arrest arson suspect in Fred Meyer fire near Thrasher’s Corner

Bothell Police arrested a suspect in connection with last week's fire at the Fred Meyer near Thrasher's Corner shortly after 7 a.m. this morning.

20 hours ago

SeaTac drug ring trafficking...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Man with decades-long history of domestic violence sentenced to 5 years for ‘vicious assault’

A Lummi Nation man with a decades-long history of domestic violence was sentenced to five years in federal prison for strangling his former partner.

21 hours ago

Burien Police, led by K9 Quinn, seize county’s largest-ever fentanyl powder bust