SANTA ANA, Ca. (March 23, 2018) – Two male suspects are in custody and 140 kilograms of cocaine has been seized from an Inland Empire residence as part of an investigation by a multi-agency operation to intercept and find narcotics, and hold drug traffickers accountable.
Investigators with the 12-agency joint operation at about 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, initiated a vehicle stop of an older-model Nissan Versa on the 60 Freeway. Two suspects –a 24-year-old man and a 38-year-old man – were arrested after investigators found a substantial amount of narcotics in the vehicle. The discovery led to further investigation, and prompted law enforcement to obtain a search warrant for the suspects’ residence.
Investigators uncovered a backyard underground bunker stacked with kilograms of cocaine during a search of the suspects’ home. The street value of the 140 kilograms of cocaine seized from the vehicle and residence is estimated at more than $8.4 million.
The agencies involved in this operation are: The Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Orange Police Department, Buena Park Police Department, Tustin Police Department, Newport Beach Police Department, Fullerton Police Department, Huntington Beach Police Department, Santa Ana Police Department, Cal State University Fullerton Police Department, and Ontario Police Department.
At this time, no additional information will be provided reference the arrests of the individuals or the seizure of the narcotics as this incident is part of a larger, active, and ongoing investigation. More information will be shared at the culmination of the full investigation.
