Arizona Department of Public Safety Announces Results of Operation "Picture Perfect"

On April 9, 2008, local law enforcement officers who make up the multi-agency "M.A.G.N.E.T." team executed 18 arrest warrants and 18 search warrants in an effort to dismantle a large methamphetamine drug trafficking organization in Northwest Arizona.

M.A.G.N.E.T. (Mohave Area General Narcotics Enforcement Team) is comprised of officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Kingman Police Department, Mohave County Sheriff's Office, Bullhead City Police Department, Lake Havasu City Police Department, and the Mohave County Attorney's Office.

In early 2007, an investigation was launched into a methamphetamine drug trafficking organization in Mohave County.  Eventually the State Gang Task Force (G.I.I.T.E.M.) and the D.E.A. were also brought in to assist M.A.G.N.E.T. in the investigation and surveillance in this case.  Additional support was supplied by the DPS Financial Investigation Resource Group (F.I.R.G.) which consists of personnel from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Phoenix Police Department and the State Attorney General's Office.

The arrests and warrants taking place on April 9 were served on the 18 upper level suspects in this organization.  An additional 200 arrests and indictments are pending. 

The investigation showed the organization was based out of a Kingman home belonging to Jose Juan Ochoa and his wife, Deaney Ochoa.  It appeared to be a "top down" organization that supplied approximately 520 pounds of methamphetamine to the Kingman area per year.  It also was a lucrative business.  Customers purchasing methamphetamine from this group were spending more than $18 million per year for this product.

"This is yet another example of the cooperative effort that exists in law enforcement in all parts of the state.  Let me commend all of the agencies in Mohave County for their excellent work in shutting down this very dangerous drug organization and thereby making communities safer as a result," said Roger Vanderpool, Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety.