3 men arrested near Seattle on drug trafficking charges

SEATTLE – Three suspected drug traffickers made their initial appearance in Snohomish County Court Dec. 15 on charges of possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute following a joint operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The federal agencies combined efforts to arrest Luis Venancio Cueto-Ruiz, Leonardo Mateo Cueto-Ruiz, and Gilberto Ulloa-Aguirre Dec. 14 in Everett following a probe into their drug trafficking organization, which is believed to be linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. Bail is set at $250,000 each for the three defendants.

More than 46 pounds of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine were seized in addition to two firearms.

Charges are merely allegations and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

HSI Seattle’s Rainier Interdiction Task Force, ATF and the DEA’s Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team consist of state, local and federal agencies.