Authorities described the organization as fueling the fentanyl crisis by distributing lethal drugs with fatal consequences.

A drug trafficking organization operating in Seattle’s Chinatown International District and homeless encampments, including the area under I-5 known as “The Jungle,” was charged with distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, involving nearly 20 defendants.

Evidence gathered through wiretaps led to January 2025 arrests, revealing 17 firearms and more than 50 pounds of fentanyl powder.

Theodore Nation was sentenced to almost three years in prison for his role in the operation, which targeted vulnerable homeless populations and used encampments like the Beacon Hill site under I-5.

The investigation began in November 2023 and brought together the Seattle Police Department, the FBI, and the DEA in a cross-agency effort.

A second wave of arrests in May 2025 uncovered large quantities of illicit drugs, including roughly 100 pounds of meth, more than 240 pounds of cocaine, over 40 pounds of fentanyl powder, 250,000 fentanyl pills, and over 8 pounds of another substance.

The ring had established street-level drug sales at a corner on 12th Ave S and Jackson St, where drugs were routinely sold.