Two women wanted for their involvement in a major drug trafficking ring in Gibson were arrested in Mississippi last week, authorities said.
Chantal Ruffin, 28, and Sharon Ruffin, 47, both of Gibson, were in Hattiesburg, Miss., where they were being held on warrants from Terrebonne Parish, prosecutors said.
Beginning, Oct. 4, a joint law enforcement operation involving the Terrebonne Sheriff’s Office, State Police and Houma Police Department seized 18 pounds of marijuana, 2,500 Xanax pills, 300 Ecstasy pills and more than $60,000 in cash and from various bank accounts after searching 11 homes throughout Terrebonne, St. Mary and East Baton Rouge parishes, authorities said.
Agents also seized two ounces of methamphetamine, one ounce of cocaine, two cars, an SUV, an AR-15 rifle, six handguns and a shotgun, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Family members Dequenton Ruffin, 29, of Morgan City, Wosha Ruffin, 39, of Baton Rouge, and Decoby Henderson Sr., of Houma, were previously arrested for their involvement in the operation after being indicted in October.
Indictments for Dequenton Ruffin involved racketeering, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute codeine, illegal possession of stolen firearms and dog fighting.
Wosha Ruffin was indicted on racketeering and Henderson was charged with racketeering, distribution of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and transactions involving drug proceeds.
Chantal Ruffin was charged with drug racketeering, two counts of distribution of a schedule I narcotic and failure to appear in court.
Sharon Ruffin was charged with illegal possession of stolen firearms, dog fighting and obstruction of justice by tampering with evidence.
According to Maj. Malcolm Wolfe, deputies traveled to Hattiesburg, and picked up Chantal Ruffin and Sharon Ruffin from the Forest County Jail on Thursday.
Chantal Ruffin is being held in the Terrebonne Parish jail on a $255,000 bond and Sharon Ruffin’s bond was set at $250,000.
A grand jury had previously indicted three other family members connected to the drug operation.
On March 22, Terrance Ruffin, 25, Lamaris Ruffin, 17, and Kendrick Ruffin, 26, all of Gibson, were charged with racketeering, possession with the intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances (cocaine, marijuana and codeine), monetary instrument abuse, transactions involving the proceeds, dog fighting and possession of stolen firearms.
The drug-trafficking organization was transporting large quantities of marijuana, cocaine and prescription pills from Texas into Louisiana and were supplying multiple levels of distributors from the top of the distribution chain all the way to consumers in Terrebonne and St. Mary parishes, as well as other areas, investigators said.
March 15 didn’t mark the first time the Gibson homes had been raided by narcotics agents. Police had stormed the same location in late 2013 and recovered an estimated $2 million worth of cocaine, marijuana and pills, authorities said.
“They didn’t learn their lesson in 2013, and as soon as they were released from jail they started dealing drugs again,” said Assistant District Attorney Jason Lyons. “They were selling an awful lot of cocaine, marijuana, and Xanax pills from that Gibson property. As soon as they got out of jail, they went right back into business. They will not have that opportunity again for a long time.”
--Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 857-2202 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter@DanVCopp.