Local News in Brief : 8 Arrested, 4 Pounds of Cocaine Seized in Raids

An investigation by narcotics investigators from five law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest early Friday of eight people in the San Fernando Valley and the seizure of about four pounds of high-grade cocaine, authorities said.

Special Agent Mike Kelly of the state attorney general’s drug enforcement detail said the arrests were made between midnight and 3 a.m. at three locations in the Valley. Kelly said most of those arrested are Chilean nationals.

The joint operation began Thursday morning when officers trailed a 28-year-old Ventura man, who had been under investigation, from his house to a residence in the 7100 block of Haskell Avenue in Van Nuys. Officers found cocaine there and arrested Arturo Lewin, 38, and the Ventura man, whom police would not identify, Kelly said.

Officers then went to a house in the 19400 block of Kittridge Avenue in Canoga Park, where they found cocaine and arrested Gladys Guerrero, 37, Kelly said.

The investigation then focused on a house in the 17100 block of Cantara Avenue in Reseda, where police arrested Carlos Garcia, 40, Peter Campelli, 31, Mario Tirado, 32, and Maria Valentine, 31.

Also arrested at the Cantara house was Jose Ocasio, 39. When Ocasio refused to open the door, officers forced their way in and found Ocasio in the backyard, shielding himself with a small girl and holding what turned out to be a squirt gun, Kelly said. After a brief standoff, Ocasio surrendered, Kelly said.

Kelly said drugs were regularly sold at the Cantara home.

Ocasio is being held on $1 million bail at Van Nuys Jail. Bail for the other suspects ranges from $500,000 to $100,000.

Investigators from the attorney general’s office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and Ventura and Oxnard police departments participated in the raids.