26 Indicted in $100-Million Narcotics Ring

A federal grand jury has indicted 26 persons in a $100-million, coast-to-coast drug trafficking ring that allegedly laundered its profits through Oriental rug and gem businesses in several states, including California, federal authorities announced Tuesday.

Since 1974, the indictment charged, the ring has distributed almost 300 tons of marijuana and hashish from Colombia, Mexico and Lebanon throughout the United States. Its assets include more than 1,000 acres of farm land in suburban Virginia and Maryland, a condominium in the Virgin Islands, gold and silver bullion and 12 machine guns, Justice Department officials said at a news conference.

Federal agents infiltrated the Virginia-based ring, the officials said, and found that business practices at a number of “fronts”--primarily selling Oriental carpets, gems and precious metals--allowed it to camouflage profits from illicit drugs. In turn, according to the indictment, members of the ring used part of those profits to invest in individual retirement accounts, pension funds and Keogh plans.

‘Drug Kingpin’ Statute

One of the suspected “fronts” was BCP Inc., a bottled-water business incorporated in 1982 in California, according to the 100-page, 48-count indictment. The owner of BCP, Christopher F. Reckmeyer of Leesburg, Va., was named in the indictment as leader and charged under a “drug kingpin” statute that carries a possible life sentence without parole.

At least two defendants named in the indictment are from California. John C. Robinson of the San Francisco area was charged with two counts of distributing marijuana and conspiring to distribute marijuana and hashish, and Craig D. Smith of Lake Tahoe was charged with conspiring to distribute marijuana.

False Sales Invoices

The indictment alleged that 1,200 pounds of marijuana was received in Lake Tahoe in 1981 by Smith and Jan R. Gillie and later distributed. Moreover, it charged, false sales invoices for BCP--used to disguise transfers of drug funds--were created in San Francisco and San Carlos, Calif., between 1981 and 1984.

The indictment was returned last Wednesday in federal court in Virginia and announced Tuesday after property searches and seven arrests on the East Coast. More arrests are expected, officials said.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Karen P. Tandy said federal agents also have obtained search warrants allowing them to dig for suspected “buried treasure”--additional gems, gold and silver--belonging to the ring.