United States Drug Enforcement Administration

TUCSON, Ariz. - On July 22, 2015, the DEA Phoenix Field Division announced that Victor Corral, Jr., 36, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to over 19 years imprisonment for his role in a large-scale heroin trafficking organization operating in Southern Arizona.  Over 120 pounds of white heroin with an estimated value of over $7.5 million was seized during the course of the investigation, which included one of Arizona’s largest single heroin seizures of 89 pounds in June 2014. 

U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson sentenced Corral after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (greater than 90 kilograms) and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

“Criminals cannot hide from the law. These drug trafficking organizations are peddling heroin in our communities and contributing to a nationwide epidemic of addiction,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman. “DEA will target heroin traffickers operating in Arizona and across the nation.  Our agents will ensure these criminals who are destroying the lives of our fellow citizens are identified, investigated, apprehended and brought to justice.”

Corral was a subject of a joint federal and local agency task force investigation into a Mexican based drug trafficking organization, which led to the identification of co-conspirators working out of Tucson, Arizona.  The Tucson cell of the organization was responsible for the importation and distribution of kilogram quantities of heroin throughout the western United States, including Denver, Colorado and Portland, Oregon. Working from Tucson, Corral supervised and managed other co-conspirators in the importation and further distribution of that heroin.  Additionally, Corral was responsible for receipt, transport, and smuggling of the bulk cash drug proceeds in excess of a million dollars back into Mexico. Much of the heroin imported and distributed by Corral and the drug trafficking organization, was “white” heroin, with the last seizure in the case weighing approximately 89 pounds with a purity of 90%.

The investigation in this case was conducted by agents from DEA’s Tucson District Office, HSI-Tucson, Tucson Police Department, and the Counter Narcotics Alliance. The prosecution was handled by Anthony E. Maingot, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.