Second arrest made in meth investigation

The Vancouver Police Department says officers made a second arrest and recovered more than 22 pounds of methamphetamine Wednesday in an ongoing drug distribution investigation.

According to the police department, officers with its gang unit, Lewis County joint drug enforcement team and the DEA served a search warrant Wednesday at 9501 N.E. Fifth St. in Vancouver, the home of Santiago Carrillo-Piz.

Police said investigators learned Carrillo-Piz had come to Vancouver to take over a methamphetamine distribution business after his brother, Martin Carrillo-Piz, was arrested in September.

Santiago Carrillo-Piz was arrested and is in federal custody, the police said, adding investigators found about 22 pounds of methamphetamine and $15,000 in cash during the search.

In September, officers searched another home in Vancouver, in the Forest Ridge neighborhood off Northeast 97th Avenue, and arrested Martin Carrillo-Piz. They also found 30 pounds of methamphetamine and $35,000 in cash at the house.

Investigators learned about 200 pounds of methamphetamine and 40 pounds of heroin had been distributed from that home that year, the police department said.