A major drug bust targeting a suspected cartel member in Tucson, Arizona, was thrown into chaos when protesters—whom Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple bluntly called “idiots”—showed up and interrupted law enforcement by mistakenly believing the operation was an ICE raid.
The interference came as authorities uncovered a massive stockpile of dangerous drugs and firearms, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by cartel activity in the region.
For roughly six months, investigators tracked the suspect, who had illegally re-entered the U.S. after previously being deported.
Their efforts culminated late Wednesday with a raid on his home in southwest Tucson.
Officials seized millions of fentanyl pills, 32 pounds of cocaine, 22 pounds of methamphetamine and four firearms.
These drugs are part of the larger nationwide crisis that has led to skyrocketing overdose deaths and heightened violent crime, the New York Post reports.
Despite the clear criminal nature of the case, a crowd of protesters appeared outside the home, many with their faces covered and carrying “Abolish ICE” signs.
These demonstrators wrongly assumed the raid was an immigration enforcement operation.
Some protesters even attempted to block law enforcement from towing the suspect’s truck, delaying the collection of vital evidence and frustrating officers on the