SEATTLE — The announcement of a major drug bust was made at Seattle’s Hing Hay Park Wednesday, mere blocks from the areas that have seen major drug use and violence.
Five men stand accused of dealing fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and heroin in and around the Chinatown-International District (CID) after they were allegedly heard on wiretap plotting their drug deals and violence.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell was joined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Seattle Police Department in a press conference related to the drug takedown impacting the CID and “The Jungle”, which is a homeless encampment in the area.
“We are all focused on increasing community safety, especially in Seattle’s International District,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “The Seattle Police Department, the FBI, DEA, and other law enforcement partners have worked tirelessly to identify members of this drug ring who are peddling drugs in the International District and homeless encampments. They prey on the most vulnerable and with guns and threats increase the danger on our streets.”
“This organization took advantage of many people’s addictions, homelessness, and other vulnerabilities, often using violence or threats of violence,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office.
According to case records, the investigation began in November 2023, with Seattle police, FBI, and DEA focusing on a drug trafficking ring dealing fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and heroin in the homeless encampments of Seattle and drug trafficking areas of the International District, such as 12th and Jackson Street.
The five Seattle-area men are in custody following a federal grand jury indictment for their drug trafficking activity and have all made their initial appearances over the last few days.
The five men named in the indictment are:
- 37-year-old Tommy Pham from Newcastle
- 54-yera-old Donfeuy Saephan from Seattle
- 42-year-old Khampheth Keodara from Seattle
- 54-year-old Sang Tran from Kent
- 35-year-old Theodore Nation from Seattle
Using a court-authorized wiretap, investigators reportedly gathered evidence of the drug trafficking and made arrests and seizures throughout the investigation. Law enforcement reported hearing “intimations of violence” on the calls and worked to intervene without tipping off the targets of the investigation.
According to U.S. Attorney Gorman, law enforcement seized 17 firearms and 23 kilos of suspected fentanyl powder during the arrest operation.
All five men are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, Nation is charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, Pham and Tran are charged with distribution of controlled substances, and Pham is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm because he has a criminal history that bars him from possessing firearms.
The men are facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison for the conspiracy and some drug counts.
“The fentanyl powder alone seized from this group could have unleashed 1.7 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl into our community,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This group posed a major threat to our neighborhoods, and I am proud of the work of DEA and our partners in neutralizing this danger.”
©2025 Cox Media Group