‘Drug empire’ accused of smuggling cocaine, methamphetamine through US via Bluetooth karaoke speakers

State authorities say six men in a “drug empire” hid millions of dollars worth of methamphetamine and cocaine in Bluetooth karaoke speakers and smuggled the drug-laden devices from California to Pennsylvania.

The Byrne Drug Trafficking Organization smuggled about $5 million worth of drugs over the past six months, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn announced Wednesday during a news conference. Now, its members face a slew of drug and corruption charges, Schorn added.

“I hope the outcome of this investigation serves as a warning to drug dealers in our community that you will be identified, caught and prosecuted for your crimes, and we will not tolerate criminal enterprises that profit from those suffering from addiction,” Schorn said.

State prosecutors say Matthew James Byrne, 43, of Broomall, Delaware County, is the leader of the organization. Investigators learned that Byrne traveled to Los Angeles multiple times, once or twice a month this year, to buy cocaine and methamphetamine to fund his organization, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

How did the Byrne Drug Trafficking Organization smuggle cocaine and methamphetamine?

The reason Byrne bought the drugs in California is because of the state’s proximity to Mexico and the lower cost of illegal drugs, according to prosecutors. The cross-country trips to Los Angeles would last two to three days and involve Byrne meeting with drug dealers to buy the drugs, smuggling them in Bluetooth speakers or homemade wooden boxes, then shipping them to Pennsylvania under false names for the packages’ recipients.

Narcotics detectives tracked 12 packages to the Bristol Township and Montgomery County areas, each containing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of drugs, the DA’s office said. Most of the packages were delivered to Byrne’s brother, Joseph Byrne, 47, in Bristol Township.

According to prosecutors, officers at a United Parcel Service facility in Woldport, Kentucky, intercepted three packages and found nearly $1.2 million worth of cocaine and methamphetamine hidden inside three Bluetooth speakers.

The Byrne brothers, Khalik Kemp, 34, of Philadelphia, and Christian Garwood, 55, of Flourton in Montgomery County, were indicted Monday. Two California men — Ralph Brooks, 42, of Los Angeles, and Chaz Harness-Walker, 40, of Inglewood — have also been charged with being members of the organization but have not yet been arrested.

How did the Byrne Drug Trafficking Organization come to be captured?

To catch the alleged drug dealers, detectives tracked travel records, intercepted communications and surveilled suspects in both California and Pennsylvania, according to the district attorney’s office. During one intercepted communication, a member of the drug organization was heard describing the quality of cocaine they had purchased in California as “slamming” and “power.”

During the investigation, detectives identified members of the organization and their roles, which included “distributors, transporters, warehouse coordinators, street dealers and drug trafficking facilitators,” prosecutors said. Two Bluetooth speakers were also recovered during the investigation, and although they were emptied, tests confirmed positive for cocaine residue in the devices.

According to the district attorney’s office, detectives also searched several homes in Philadelphia, Delaware and Montgomery counties on July 18, seizing cocaine, other drugs, drug paraphernalia, four guns and more than $20,000 in cash.

“This case shows that there is no limit to the lengths that traffickers will go to profit from trafficking in poisons that devastate families and communities,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement. “The incredible collaboration of law enforcement partners disrupted this sophisticated organization and shut down the cocaine and methamphetamine pipeline.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Drug empire’ smuggled cocaine, methamphetamine via Bluetooth karaoke speakers