Bothell man sentenced to 5 years for dealing meth around the world, hidden in hard drives

A 34-year-old Bothell man was sentenced to five years in prison for trafficking drugs hidden in computer hard drives.

Ryan Kane was sentenced Tuesday in the Seattle U.S. District Court for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, after pleading guilty in March.

According to court documents, Kane was mailing packages of meth to locations in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand, with the drugs hidden inside hollowed-out computer hard drives. In April 2021, authorities intercepted two packages heading for Australia, discovering more than three kilograms—or 6.6 pounds—of methamphetamine hydrochloride.

"Mr. Kane was distributing nearly pure and addictive methamphetamine across the world, concealed in computer hard drives," said U.S. Attorney Brown. "He used the Dark Web to conceal his identity and make dangerous drugs available as far away as Australia and New Zealand."

Law enforcement launched an investigation after seizing the packages, and searched Kane's home on June 7, 2021. According to court documents, officers recovered:

  • 16 hard drives full of meth
  • A glass jar, packing materials
  • A notebook with shipping labels to Australia
  • Artwork related to Kane's Dark Web vendor account
  • A loaded 9mm handgun

"Mr. Kane’s conviction and today’s sentence demonstrates how smugglers cannot hide behind the perceived veil of secrecy associated with Dark Web marketplaces," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). "HSI through its transnational law enforcement footprint will doggedly pursue these cases with our law enforcement partners within the U.S. and abroad."

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"With Mr. Kane’s sentencing today, we show a clear and united front, not only here in the United States but abroad, in the effort to combat the distribution of these dangerous and potentially lethal narcotics," said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. "We remain steadfast in our mission to remove illegal narcotics from the U.S. Mail and will continue to do so to ensure our communities remain safe. We thank our law enforcement partners for their assistance in bringing Kane to justice."