Pubdate: Thu, 03 Nov 2005
Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)
Copyright: 2005 Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/23
Author: Kim Smith and Michael Marizco

Arizona / West

DEA SAYS CULIACAN FAMILY IS TOP HEROIN RING IN TUCSON

The Magana Lopez family is the most significant heroin-smuggling ring 
in Tucson, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said.

The Culiacan, Sinaloa, family first surfaced in 1998 when a brother 
to those arrested Wednesday was arrested on heroin charges, said 
Anthony J. Coulson, assistant special-agent-in-charge for the DEA's 
Tucson office.

The family moved 5 to 10 pounds of Mexican black-tar and powder 
heroin through Tucson every month, Coulson said.

Jorge Luis Magana Lopez was arrested in Tucson in April 1998 with 1 
1/2 pounds of heroin. According to his plea agreement filed in U.S. 
District Court, a man he was working with led a police informant to 
the car he was sitting in. Jorge Magana took the informant's cash and 
told him to remove the heroin from the car's gas tank.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Jorge Magana is serving a 
10-year sentence for selling heroin, with a projected release date of 
January 2007.

His brother, Oscar Magana Lopez, 38, was first arrested in October 
2004 on drug and weapons charges, posted a $20,000 bail and then 
failed to appear in court for his arraignment on Nov. 9, 2004. A 
warrant was immediately issued for his arrest and he was taken into 
custody this Sept. 27, according to Pima County Superior Court records.

He faces two charges - possession of a narcotic drug for sale and 
possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited possessor. After his 
arrest in October 2004, his estranged wife told authorities that 
Magana travels back and forth between Tucson and Mexico, and when he 
goes to Mexico he stays two to three weeks at a time.

Magana told authorities he lives with his wife when he's in the 
United States, but she said he does not.

When arrested in September, Magana told Pretrial Services his 
permanent address is in Culiacan, Sinaloa.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials believe Magana 
doesn't have legal authorization to be in the United States and have 
placed an immigration hold on him, court records show.

The DEA is not aware of any other family members involved in heroin 
smuggling, Coulson said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman