CINCINNATI, Ohio — What began as the weekend arrest of an uncle and nephew from Southwest Ohio has grown into one of the region’s largest recent cocaine seizures, with federal investigators uncovering an additional 244 kilograms of suspected cocaine at properties near Columbus — bringing the total haul to more than 700 pounds with a street value of more than $5.8 million.
Damian Galan, 31, of Cincinnati, and Diego Galan, 19, of Fairfield, appeared in federal court Monday following their arrests by agents with the Homeland Security Task Force. The pair now face a combined drug trafficking case involving 325 kilograms — approximately 716 pounds — of suspected cocaine.
The investigation began after the DEA Cincinnati District Office, the Cincinnati Police Department and other agencies within the Homeland Security Task Force received information about the Galans’ alleged drug trafficking throughout the Southern District of Ohio and elsewhere. Surveillance of the men led agents to locations in the Columbus area on May 9, where those connected to the operation were observed traveling in tandem to locations suspected of storing narcotics and drug proceeds…