6 Total Arrested After Searches in Record Tri-Cities Drug Bust

Federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration have arrested 5 more suspects in the largest drug seizure in Eastern Washington history, which took place earlier this month in the Tri-Cities.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington reports that agents have also confiscated about 370 pounds of drugs and $2 million in cash connected to the trafficking investigation.

What DEA Found in Tri-Cities ' Largest Ever Drug Bust

The numbers are really big. DEA investigators say they seized more than 164 pounds of powdered fentanyl, 200 pounds of methamphetamine, and 16 firearms.

Photos released from the DEA office show tables stacked with drugs and piles of cash bundled in plastic bags, like in a movie, but it was actually in our own backyard.

Officials say the amount of fentanyl alone had the potential to cause devastating harm across the region.

It started with one arrest, but investigators quickly added five more suspects, making this a much larger case. Six suspects in all are now tied to the investigation, including Amador Sanchez, Sergio Sanchez, Eliodoro Tapia, Nika Eloisa Salazar, Cassaundra Rachel Pollard, and Alma Rosa Sanchez.

Six People Now Facing Federal Charges

They are all facing serious federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Some suspects will likely face charges of possessing drugs with intent to distribute also.

Several of the suspects have already pleaded not guilty, while others have yet to enter pleas. Investigators say multiple suspects were already convicted felons.

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Amador Sanchez alone is accused of possessing 16 guns while operating the network out of multiple homes in the Tri-Cities. Tapia and Salazar were also reportedly on probation at the time of their arrests.

Authorities say millions in cash and assets could be forfeited as the case moves forward.