Jefferson County man arrested after 10 pounds of meth seized in drug trafficking investigation

(Update: Adding video)

WASCO, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A Jefferson County man was arrested Friday after investigators seized about 10 pounds of methamphetamine, concluding a long-term drug investigation into trafficking between Washington and Central Oregon, authorities said.

Here are the full details from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team:

At approximately 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, detectives with the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team concluded a long-term drug investigation with the seizure of a commercial amount of methamphetamine and the arrest of Theodore Ernest Jokinen.

Police identified a green 1999 Dodge Flatbed truck as the vehicle Jokinen was using to transport illegal narcotics from Washington to Oregon.  While conducting surveillance, police observed multiple traffic violations as Jokinen was traveling on I84 W in The Dalles, Oregon.  The vehicle was stopped by an officer from The Dalles Police Department on I84 W near mile post 85.  Drug Detection K9 Keira was deployed and alerted to the odor of drugs in the vehicle. A search warrant was completed by the CODE Team and was signed by a Wasco County Judge. 

Approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine was found during a search of the vehicle. This investigation revealed Theodore Ernest Jokinen was traveling to Washington to get methamphetamine and he was bringing large quantities of methamphetamine back into Oregon, specifically to Jefferson, Crook, and Deschutes County for distribution.

Theodore Ernest Jokinen was arrested and lodged at the Wasco County Jail. 

The CODE team was assisted by The Dalles Police Department, DEA, U.S. Marshals, and the Mid Columbia Interagency Narcotics Task Force during this incident.

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies:  Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department,  Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations.