Manitowoc County Drug Unit: 2 arrested in $1.3M meth case, including Nebraska distributor
Drug trafficking group was responsible for 36 pounds of meth transported to Wisconsin, or $1.3 million worth, Manitowoc County Metro Drug Unit said.
Manitowoc County Drug Unit: 2 arrested in $1.3M meth case, including Nebraska distributor Drug trafficking group was responsible for 36 pounds of meth transported to Wisconsin, or $1.3 million worth, Manitowoc County Metro Drug Unit said. Check out this story on htrnews.com: https://www.htrnews.com/story/news/crime/2019/05/24/manitowoc-wisconsin-drug-bust-meth-porfirio-mejia-neri-sheboygan-brayan-pacheco-bernali-nebraska/1224760001/
Brandon M Reid, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter Published 2:19 p.m. CT May 24, 2019 | Updated 3:16 p.m. CT May 24, 2019
MANITOWOC - Manitowoc County Metro Drug Unit on Friday released information about a large-scale methamphetamine drug-trafficking investigation that resulted in the arrest of two men and the seizure of approximately 19 pounds of methamphetamine.
According to a news release, in April and May, investigators from the Metro Drug Unit conducted a joint investigation with the Drug Enforcement Administration and identified people involved in large-quantity methamphetamine distribution in Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties.
Brayan Pacheco-Bernali, left, Porfirio Mejia-Neri (Photo: Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office)
The release said investigators made controlled purchases of methamphetamine in Sheboygan and southern Manitowoc County, resulting in the seizure of approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine.
Investigators, according to the release, identified residences in Sheboygan where large amounts of methamphetamine were stored and where meetings for methamphetamine transactions were held.
Methamphetamine seized after arrests were made in a large-scale methamphetamine drug-trafficking investigation. (Photo: Courtesy of Manitowoc County Metro Drug Unit)
Investigators in early May conducted search warrants on South 16th Street and in the 1300 block of Virginia Avenue in Sheboygan and found approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine stored in the residences, the release said, resulting in the arrest of Porfirio Mejia-Neri, 25, of Sheboygan.
Porfirio Mejia-Neri (Photo: Courtesy of Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office)
Investigators identified the source of the methamphetamine as a man residing in Nebraska. According to the release, arrangements were made to meet the Nebraska drug source to collect drug proceeds and discuss recent activity.
On May 14, investigators located and conducted surveillance on the Nebraska man in Sheboygan and arrangements were made to travel to Manitowoc to collect approximately $30,000-$35,000 from the methamphetamine distributor. Wisconsin State Patrol and Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office personnel stopped and arrested the 25-year-old Nebraska man, Brayan Pacheco-Bernali, on Interstate 43 in Manitowoc County, the release said.
The release said investigators conducted interviews as part of the investigation and learned the drug trafficking group was responsible for approximately 36 pounds of methamphetamine transported to Wisconsin and distributed to various locations within Sheboygan and Manitowoc counties. Investigators estimate the street value of the seized methamphetamine to be approximately $700,000, or for the total case, approximately $1.3 million.
Brayan Pacheco-Bernali (Photo: Courtesy of Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office)
The men, according to the release, have been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and have made appearances in Manitowoc County Circuit Court. They are both being held at Manitowoc County Jail.
Manitowoc County Metro Drug Unit and DEA were assisted during the investigation by Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, Wisconsin State Patrol and Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office personnel.
Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @breidHTRNews.
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