The State - News from Oct. 12, 1986

More Than $1 million in property was seized and 15 people arrested in the smashing of one of the nation’s largest drug rings in Reno, FBI officials said. James Weller, FBI agent in charge in Nevada, said the grand jury indictment of the suspects put a major dent in drug traffic in California and Nevada. he said the ring was “well organized” and was “one of the major ones” in the nation. The alleged ring operated a 45-acre marijuana farm in Shasta County in California and dealt extensively in the two states in methamphetamines and cocaine. Officials estimated that the ring had made at least $5 million in profits during recent years. The ring’s leader was identified as Richard P). Rupler Sr., 44, of Sparks, Nev., who is in a California prison. He was due to be released in a week, but is now being held without bail on the new charges.