Fullerton : Seven Plead Not Guilty in Largest Cocaine Haul

Seven South Americans arrested last month in the largest cocaine-seizure case in California history pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of conspiracy to distribute the drug.

Superior Court Judge James O. Perez also set a June 30 trial date for the seven defendants, none of whom speak English.

The seven are Colombians Gonzalo Ruiz, 29; Uldarico Cabuya, 34; Fabio Dimate Ardila, 41; Onelia Rita Arboleda, 24, and Florinda Suarez Prada, 25; Ecuadorean Juan Perez Sanchez, 28, identified as the alleged leader of the cocaine ring, and Venezuelan Clara Rubia Perez, 22.

Originally, 10 persons were arrested on April 4 at five locations in Anaheim, Fullerton and Placentia by Los Angeles Police Department narcotics agents after two days of surveillance of the suspects. Three of the suspects were released last month during an eight-day preliminary hearing because of insufficient evidence.

During the raids, agents confiscated 1,784 pounds of high-grade cocaine with an estimated street value of $500 million. The agents also found $730,000 in cash and various ledgers and records outlining drug transactions.

The cadre of defense attorneys, during the preliminary hearing, claimed unsuccessfully that narcotics agents who arrested the suspects had obtained search warrants based on flimsy evidence to connect their clients to a cocaine conspiracy ring.

The defense also was unsuccessful in attempts to order the prosecution to reveal the identity of a drug informant who led the agents to Perez Sanchez and the other six suspects.