Federal agents say what looked like four ordinary storage bins actually held a rolling cocaine warehouse for a Cincinnati family duo.
Damian Galan, 31, and his 19-year-old nephew, Diego Galan, were arrested after investigators say they recovered roughly 77 kilograms of suspected cocaine stashed inside four 17-gallon storage containers. The pair made their first appearances in federal court Monday after surveillance led officers to a Columbus hotel and then to a Fairfield home where the bins were allegedly stored.
According to WLWT, investigators say surveillance brought officers to a Holiday Inn Express in Columbus on May 9, where the Galans allegedly met two men staying at the hotel and received the four containers. Agents later searched Diego's Fairfield residence, where authorities say they found about 77 kilograms of suspected cocaine along with cash, firearms, and suspected methamphetamine. Both Damian and Diego were charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Damian's bond was set at $100,000, according to WLWT, and federal prosecutors say the counts carry potential penalties that could include life in prison.
The size of the seizure drops this case squarely into a growing string of bulk-drug investigations across Ohio. In February, prosecutors unsealed indictments after agents seized roughly 119 kilograms of suspected cocaine and fentanyl at a Dayton distribution center, according to WHIO. Hoodline has also followed similar container and hotel-room stash-house busts in the region, including an Akron dope depot bust and a guns, kilos and a Red Roof bust that also relied on extended surveillance to build probable cause.
How Investigators Say It Unfolded
Federal investigators told WLWT that surveillance cameras and in-person monitoring showed the Galans meeting two individuals at the Columbus hotel, then leaving with the four containers. Officers tracked the pair back to Fairfield, where officials say the 17-gallon totes were unloaded into Diego's house.
Agents later executed a search warrant at that residence, where they say they recovered the suspected cocaine along with the cash, firearms, and suspected methamphetamine described in the charging documents.
Legal Exposure
Under federal law, trafficking five kilograms or more of cocaine carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison, and conspiracy charges under 21 U.S.C. § 846 carry the same statutory exposure as the underlying drug counts, according to the U.S. Code. With roughly 77 kilograms alleged, the quantities in this case place both defendants at the high end of potential federal sentencing ranges, although any eventual sentence would be set by a judge after considering advisory guidelines and other factors. The relevant statutory language is available in 21 U.S.C. § 841.
The case remains under active investigation, and additional filings are expected as prosecutors and defense attorneys prepare for upcoming hearings. Court dockets and charging documents are likely to shed more light on how investigators say the operation was organized and whether the probe will extend beyond the two men already charged.
