RIVERTON — Unified police narcotics detectives made a drug bust Thursday that involved blue meth, a drug investigators believe has not been seen by drug agents in Utah before.
An extensive investigation over the past several months culminated Thursday when a SWAT team served a warrant on a home at 3422 W. Mt. Cortina.
Three people renting the house were arrested and booked into jail for investigation of several drug-related charges. The arrests happened in what most considered a quiet suburban area.
"Drug dealing is not limited to just downtown," Unified Police Lt. Don Hutson said. "Drug activity has infiltrated suburbia."
Investigators seized 3 pounds of meth, 3 pounds of heroin, 1 pound of cocaine and 6 ounces of blue meth. Also seized were two vehicles and a handgun found hidden in a wall, Hutson said.
Blue meth is essentially the same as regular methamphetamine. The blue coloring, however, is like a marker to let drug dealers and consumers know which group produced it.
Hutson said meth labs are rarely seen locally now. He estimated that 95 percent to 99 percent of meth found in Utah came from Mexico. In this case, Hutson called the three arrested people midlevel dealers, receiving their supply from Mexico and selling it in pound and ounce quantities to street dealers.
Guadalupe Gaxida, 34; Abran Latorre, 21; and Silvestre Montemayor, 22, were booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.
— Pat Reavy