Thirteen Charged in Major Yakima Valley Drug Trafficking Bust

A coordinated multi-agency investigation dubbed Operation Overdrive led to the arrest of 13 individuals charged with armed drug trafficking in the Yakama Nation and Yakima Valley region. The operation began in 2024 in response to escalating drug activity, including fentanyl trafficking, overdose deaths, and violence. Authorities seized over 7,100 pounds of marijuana, 336 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly 25 pounds of cocaine, 7 pounds of fentanyl powder, 4,704 fentanyl-laced pills, 12 firearms, and more than $22,000 in drug proceeds, with the fentanyl alone capable of yielding approximately 250,000 lethal doses. Officials emphasized the operation's goals of restoring community safety, reducing fentanyl-related overdoses, and dismantling violent drug trafficking networks threatening Native communities. Charges against the suspects range from drug distribution to firearm possession, with some individuals having pleaded guilty and others awaiting sentencing. Federal, tribal, and local authorities continue to pursue additional charges as part of ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in the area.