Former Drug House Open to Home Buyers

By Gan Matthew, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Under Oklahoma law convicted drug dealers can have all their property seized, including their homes if they were built with drug money. That's exactly what happened in eastern Cleveland County and the home can now be yours.

An open house was held for prospective buyers at an unfinished house. That didn't stop people from coming by to look at it.

"We're just interested in maybe getting a good deal on this property today," Phillip Grethen said.

The man leading the tour and answering questions is not a realtor. He's Marty Burns, an agent with the Bureau of Narcotics. The reason a drug agent is leading the tour is because the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs owns the house. The reason it's unfinished is because the owners ran afoul of the law.

Miguel and Hilda Camargo were found guilty of trafficking in marijuana. Theirs was no small scale operation.

"Miguel Camargo was a member of a very large drug trafficking organization that was responsible for millions of dollars in Mexican marijuana being brought into the United States, into Oklahoma, for sale and millions of dollars in drug proceeds collected, some kept here to purchase property, and some sent back to Mexico," Mark Woodward with the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs said.

The OBNDD seized the Camargo's cars, cash, TVs, firearms, plus a Rolex watch and a lawn mower. And of course the unfinished house, a house now infamous.

"I don't think the history of the house has anything to do with the property," Grethen said.

The house will be sold at public auction on April 21.

Miguel Camargo is serving a 23-year prison sentence in Oklahoma. Hilda Camargo received a five-year deferred sentence.

Learn more about the house and the auction.