Jose Alfredo Ruiz's cocaine cowboy boots hit the auction block

These boots were made for stomping.

​After years of investigations into the now-disbanded Metro Gang Strike Force, the moment we've all been waiting for has arrived -- the inventory of El Primo Western Wear is finally up for auction.

Back in 2007, the FBI busted two meth dealers in Burnsville and went through their ledger. They found a debt owed by Jose Alfredo Ruiz, the owner of El Primo in St. Paul, for $17,000 worth of drugs.

Ruiz was trying to wipe out his debt by moving a little cocaine. He arranged to buy five kilos with what turned out to be an FBI source. When Ruiz stored the coke amongst boxes of cowboy boots in the store's basement, the entire inventory became subject to seizure when Ruiz was arrested by the Metro Gang Strike Force in 2008.

Cops loaded up half a semi truck with 1,111 pairs of jeans, 881 pairs of boots and 579 hats, among other things.

While Ruiz was sentenced to six years in prison, his merchandise languished in police custody while the Metro Gang Task Force was being investigated for a host of charges, including excessive force and stealing seized property. Though the task force was dismantled in 2009, the probe ended in September with no charges filed.

Which means the doors have been thrown open on the rootin' tootin' treasure trove of El Primo's Western wear. And it ain't just a bunch of dime store coveralls, neither. This is serious stuff: scorpion belt buckles, ostrich skin boots, $400 cowboy hats -- a lot of it is now going for a couple of bucks. Hines Auction Service in Wisconsin put all the items online and the auction will last until Dec. 20. Own your own little part of St. Paul drug trafficking history!

Here are some of our favorites.

A fine ostrich skin trimmed jacket, going for the bargain basement price of $1:

​

For that special lady in your life, a pair of "Sexy Lady" red alligator leather high heel boots -- current high bid is $7.

​

A mounted bull's head:

​

And the rest of him:

​

A LOT of animals died to make these products -- seems like they ought to at least find good homes.