(WKYT) – Four men were arrested last week following a large-scale drug bust that resulted in the seizure of more than $2 million worth of cocaine.
The arrests were part of a Homeland Security task force initiative following a six-month investigation into a Lexington-based operation.
“There was about 47 kilos of cocaine seized, which is a tremendous amount of cocaine to be seized for the Lexington area, a tremendous amount of cocaine to be seized for any area,” said Vince Kersey, assistant special agent over the DEA Louisville field division.
Investigation traced cocaine to Mexico
Kersey said the cocaine came from Mexico.
“The primary goal of the Drug Enforcement Administration investigations along with our partners here at the Homeland Security task force is to develop investigations as far up the chain as we can,” Kersey said.
Recovery worker Joshua Vanover said a drug bust this large can save lives.
“There would be a lot of people that should be grateful for this that don’t even realize it that are going to wake up tomorrow that may not have otherwise had been, if this hadn’t gotten this,” Vanover said.
Concerns about fentanyl in cocaine
Vanover said cocaine trafficking is common in the area, but he is also concerned about fentanyl.
“They said cocaine, but it seems like there’s a lot of fentanyl and other stuff that’s been mixed in with the cocaine recently,” Vanover said.
Vanover said while this bust is a great accomplishment, the fight against drugs in the region is far from over.
“Drugs are always gonna find their way back into the city,” Vanover said.
The individuals are being prosecuted federally in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
“The agents and task force officers assigned to this office are back out on the street working again today. It never ends,” Kersey said.