Violent Seattle-based, West Coast drug ring busted by FBI

Federal agents and local police say they’ve busted a violent prescription drug trafficking ring based in Seattle.

In a coordinated effort, 21 people accused of illegally distributing the painkiller oxycodone were arrested Tuesday in raids in the Seattle area and northern California.

At a news conference at the FBI office in Seattle, Special Agent in Charge Laura Laughlin said the arrests were the result of a two-year investigation by the Seattle Safe Streets Task Force.

Members of the drug ring would allegedly regularly travel to California to pick up thousands of pills, such as oxycodone.

Seattle Police have blamed much of the violence in two south end neighborhoods on the gang of drug dealers and their customers.

The U.S. attorney’s office says the ring was led by 43-year-old Herman J. Roche of Kent. He’s one of 18 people indicted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substance. Six others were arrested for alleged roles in the ring. The accused include two people from Oakland and Stockton, Calif.

U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan, in Seattle said prescription drug abuse is a growing epidemic.

“Last year it was estimated that the overdose for prescription drugs exceeded the number of deaths for motor vehicles.”

Officials said the ring made frequent trips to California to bring back 2,000-to-5,000 pills at a time.

The Associated Press and 97.3 KIRO FM reporter Tim Haeck contributed to this report.