Six arrested after drug cartel investigation in Charlotte

Federal authorities arrested Oscar Rangel-Gutierrez, Regulo Rangel-Gutierrez, Francisco Garcia-Martinez, Rodolfo Martinez, Raul Rangel-Gutierrez and Rigoberto Rangel-Gutierrez, according a court document dated Feb. 11. Court documents show that the men were in the U.S. illegally.

The six are accused of conspiring with each other and with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 300 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and five kilograms or more of cocaine.

According to the U.S. District Court, the incidents occurred in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties beginning in 2013.

An investigation into the drug activity started in July 2018 with a tip from a confidential source, according to the report.

The tipster worked with high-level drug cartel member Oscar Rangel-Gutierrez and spent several years in the Jalisco New Generation/Gulf Cartel transporting bulk amounts of money from drug trafficking sales, court documents stated.

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Starting in July 2018, the tipster worked undercover with investigators to arrange and conduct five separate methamphetamine transactions involving the suspects.

Drugs were purchased from a Charlotte apartment in August 2018 and a Statesville, North Carolina, home in September, according to the document. Those staged transactions, among others, were used to arrest the six men.

Oscar and Regulo Rangel-Gutierrez were being held in Mecklenburg County, and Francisco Garcia-Martinez was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County, SC, according to court documents.

Arrest information on the others was not immediately available.