California Men Charged in International Drug Trafficking Ring

Drugs worth up to $160 million were concealed in commercial products and exported to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand.

Four California men have been charged with running a transnational drug trafficking organization that exported large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand.
The drugs were concealed within commercial products such as instant noodle packets, car parts, emergency kits, and subwoofers.
The men used military-grade encryption software and encrypted messaging apps to coordinate the export of drugs and used fake names, businesses, and email addresses to communicate with intermediaries.
Law enforcement seized a total of 1,664 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 220 pounds of cocaine, estimated to be worth up to $160 million.
Two of the men have been arrested and pleaded not guilty, while the other two are still being sought by law enforcement.