Federal authorities say a "spice" smuggling operation has been taken down in Boise.
A federal grand jury in Boise has indicted five Boise and Meridian residents on a laundry list of charges. They include conspiracy to smuggle goods into the U.S., conspiracy to sell and transport drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy to launder money.
The indictment alleges the defendants conspired to purchase and import chemicals from China to make "spice" or synthetic marijuana. It goes on to say they were going to sell and transport drug paraphernalia and to launder the money they got in the process.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Matthew Barnes says the investigation took out a major player in the synthetic drug industry who operated coast to coast.
U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson says doctors, parents and police have terrifying stories of dangerous and sometimes deadly reactions from the use of spice. She commended all the agencies involved in the investigation, including the Boise, Nampa, and Meridian Police Departments, the FBI, and the Ada County Sheriff's Office.
The five defendants named in the indictment are:
· Mark A. Ciccarello, 35, of , Meridian, Idaho
· Robert A. Eoff, 30, of Boise, Idaho
· Troy L. Palmer, 43, of Boise, Idaho
· William B. Mabry, 45, of Boise, Idaho
· Holly F. Ciccarello, 39, of Meridian, Idaho
They face a July trial in U.S. District Court.
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