FBI, Seattle police announce oxycodone arrests

Police and federal agents arrested 21 people Tuesday in raids in the Seattle area and northern California to bust a ring accused of illegally distributing the painkiller oxycodone.

At a news conference at the FBI office in Seattle, Special Agent in Charge Laura Laughlin said the arrests were the result of a two-year investigation by the Seattle Safe Streets Task Force.

The U.S. attorney's office says the ring was led by 43-year-old Herman J. Roche (roh-SHAY') of Kent. He's one of 18 people indicted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substance. Six others were arrested for alleged roles in the ring. The accused include three people in Washington and California who have not yet been arrested.

Officials said the ring made frequent trips to California to bring back 2,000-to-5,000 pills at a time.