21 meth arrests made in Waco

By Rebecca Flannery
Staff Writer

Federal and state authorities arrested 21 members of the Aryan Brotherhood on Thursday in Waco in connection with a methamphetamine distribution operation.

Those arrested are still in custody.

Twenty of the members arrested were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, according to a press release from the Western District of Texas Department of Justice. Four other members were already in custody on the same charges.

One other member was also arrested Thursday morning and charged by a federal criminal complaint with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

The indictment of the Brotherhood members suggests the defendants have conspired to distribute various amounts of methamphetamine since November 2013.

During those 10 months, investigators have seized approximately nine pounds of “crystal” methamphetamine, 15 firearms, over $9,000 in U.S. currency and other assets in an operation called ‘La Flama Blanca’, according to the press release.

Sgt. Patrick Swanton, public information officer for the Waco Police Department, said he did not have details of the situation.