Local man among drug ring defendants

A Maple Valley man is among 17 defendants in what King County and federal authorities describe as widespread trafficking of cocaine and methamphetamine.

Six defendants, including Salvador Hernandez-Arguello, 43, of Maple Valley, faced charges in federal court in Seattle last Friday. They and the other 11 defendants, all identified as King County residents, are accused of conspiracy to distribute one or both of the drugs.

If convicted, the defendants could each be sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

According to the district U.S. attorney, a Burien-based ring distributed 30 kilograms a month of cocaine in the Seattle area.

Arrests were made in March after an investigation by the King County Sheriff Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Also, 18 kilos of cocaine, three guns and more than $203,000 were seized, authorities said. Telephone wiretaps were used in the probe, which was dubbed “Operation Pink Tiger” because cocaine was wrapped in pink cellophane.