Police Arrest Four on Suspicion of Selling Drugs at Santa Ana House

Undercover police Wednesday arrested four people on suspicion of selling narcotics at a house at 302 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana. Police said they seized $30,000 in stolen property, drugs, guns and cash in the house.

Police arrested Maria E. Contreras, 44, on suspicion of selling narcotics, possession of stolen property and possession of a sawed-off shotgun. Also arrested and in custody at Orange County Jail are Maria Carabas, 19; Jose Vargas Contreras, 21, and Francisco C. Alvarez, 22.

According to Santa Ana police spokeswoman Maureen Thomas, narcotics investigators from the department’s special crime task force had purchased narcotics at the Bristol Street house on numerous occasions before obtaining the necessary search warrant for Wednesday morning’s raid.

Upon entering the house, investigators uncovered $30,000 in stolen property, including television sets, stereo equipment, clothing, heroin valued at $1,000, cocaine valued at $900 and $5,000 in cash which police believe to be profits from illegal drug sales.

Authorities also confiscated three handguns and a sawed-off .22-caliber rifle, Thomas said. The Santa Ana Police Department credits the crime task force with 1,500 arrests since it was organized last October.