Over 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine was seized in Colorado during an operation to take down a drug ring with connections to Mexico.
The details of the seizures were released as part of a 15-person federal grand jury indictment announced Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, which said it marks the largest meth seizure in state history.
Eleven of the 15 individuals indicted are in custody, while the other four are thought to be somewhere in Mexico, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. All the defendants face drug charges, while four also face money laundering charges.
FBI Denver joint investigation with @DEAROCKYMTNDiv assisted by @IRS-CI @AdamsCoSheriff @ArvadaPolice @DCSheriff leads to largest meth seizure in CO history. 15 are indicted, including "drug kingpin" charge for subject in Mexico. @USAO_ CO news release: https://t.co/lgNrV4Tf6I pic.twitter.com/WmogvHBYmP
— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) November 19, 2025
One of those individuals wanted, Marco Antonio De Silva Lara, faces a charge of running a criminal enterprise, aka the “drug kingpin” charge, which would bring a minimum of 20 years in prison.
“This successful investigation boasts the largest methamphetamine seizure in Colorado history and intercepted more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine before it could be distributed into our community,” U.S. Attorney for Colorado Peter McNeilly said in a statement. “This investigation showcases what we are able to accomplish when we combine the resources, tools, and expertise of federal agencies with the passion, experience, and sweat equity of local law enforcement officers.”
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is proud to share that our DEA Task Force Officer played a major role in a historic federal drug takedown. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted 15 individuals in connection with… pic.twitter.com/fGIbC0Gj7f
— DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) November 19, 2025
The operation utilized federal wiretaps and undercover agents to bust the drug ring. The seizures included 96 pounds of meth found on a Greyhound bus in Vail; 101 pounds of meth and half a kilo of fentanyl seized from a driver; 700 pounds of meth seized at a residence in Lakewood thought to operate at a drug manufacturing hub; and 50 pounds of meth was seized found at a residence in Arvada.
The operation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Arvada Police Department.
According to FBI Denver, some of the individuals arrested also possessed illegal weapons.
In May you knew we were executing search warrants. Now we can tell you we were building a case to bring down an alleged drug king pin who was trafficking meth from Mexico into Colorado. They had illegal guns, too. https://t.co/irrReFLBZJ
Details in this news release:… pic.twitter.com/AnOfswMJOz
— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) November 20, 2025
“The FBI is countering the illicit drug distribution networks by working the threat from all levels. We address every link in their chain to bring down the gangs that move the product, launder the money, traffic the guns and enact violence to further their goals,” FBI Denver Acting Special Agent in Charge Marvin Massey said in a statement. “The FBI will not waver in our commitment to work with our state, local and federal partners to disrupt and dismantle the dangerous criminal enterprises that traffic drugs into Colorado and down to our communities.”
