VALENCIA HOME USED IN DRUG RING; OFFICIALS CITE SUBURBAN DROP-OFF POINT FOR COCAINE-TAINTED LOOT.Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Daily News Staff Writer A Valencia house was used as a money drop-off point in a yearlong probe that netted 4 tons of cocaine, $15 million in cash and four arrests, including the capture of a Mexican national authorities say is one of the highest-level narcotics narcotics n. 1) techinically, drugs which dull the senses. 2) a popular generic term for drugs which cannot be legally possessed, sold, or transported except for medicinal uses for which a physician or dentist's prescription is required. traffickers ever arrested in the U.S. Nearly $2.7 million in cash and weapons were seized in November from a house in the 25400 block of Avenida Frasca, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. an affidavit affidavit Written statement made voluntarily, confirmed by the oath or affirmation of the party making it, and signed before an officer empowered to administer such oaths. filed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. The beige, brown-trimmed house was one of a half-dozen locations searched in the crackdown on a Tijuana-based cartel distributing cocaine in the Inland Empire In·land Empire A region of the northwest United States between the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mountains, comprising eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, northern Idaho, and western Montana. Farming, lumbering, and mining are important to the area. , said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office. ``It was a drop house, basically,'' Mrozek said. ``It was a residence used for the sole purpose of illegal activity, acting as a transit point.'' Monday's announcement culminated a yearlong investigation that resulted Friday in a federal grand jury indictment in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. of Jorge Castro There are a number of famous people called Jorge Castro.
Four of Castro's compatriots from Sinolo, Mexico, also were arrested, and five others have been indicted INDICTED, practice. When a man is accused by a bill of indictment preferred by a grand jury, he is said to be indicted. and remain fugitives, Mrozek said. The nine are charged in a 24-count indictment with conspiracy to import narcotics from Mexico. The indictment says 11 shipments of cocaine, ranging from 30 kilograms to more than 400 kilograms, were delivered to inland Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, communities. Additionally, Castro and another cartel member are charged with operating a continuing criminal enterprise, and, if convicted, face mandatory life sentences. While the operation conspiracy took place as far away as Ontario, Escondido and the Mexican border, the first bust came in Valencia. An affidavit prepared by DEA DEA - Data Encryption Algorithm Agent Scott Eichenberger said the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department This article is about the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department, not to be confused with the smaller Los Angeles County Police The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is a local law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. conducted surveillance at the Valencia home on Nov. 21. ``Upon serving the search warrant, deputies recovered $2,677,927 in narcotics proceeds, a money counter, narcotics ledgers and several weapons,'' the affidavit states. On Nov. 23, authorities said, Castro went on a wiretapped phone and used ``coded language'' to discuss the money seizure in Valencia. According to the 37-page indictment, Castro's criminal enterprise continued until June 26, when he was arrested. On Avenida Frasca, at a two-story rental home in a family neighborhood, residents recall the night an army of officers raided the home, banging on the front door before forcing their way in. Months before, a ``nice-looking'' couple had rented the house, ``but we never saw them again,'' one woman said. She also said that in the weeks before the November raid, mothers had been concerned after spotting men sitting in cars watching the house and were told the home was under surveillance. Another neighbor said residents were curious because they saw U-Haul trucks pull into the driveway in the middle of the night, and noted that on occasion somebody would drive into the garage but shut the automatic door before exiting the car. Seizures of cash and cocaine also were made in City of Industry, Montclair, Diamond Bar, Fontana, Escondido and at the Mexican border. Daily News Staff Writer Peter Hartlaub contributed to this story. |
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