The Region : Bail Raised to $5 Million in Drug Case

Bail for three men arrested in a record one-ton cocaine bust has been raised from $100,000 to $5 million each. The bail enhancement was made because the alleged dealers are thought to have access to large sums of cash, said Tony Ricevuto, federal Drug Enforcement Administration senior agent. The 1,907 pounds of cocaine, thought to be the largest seizure of drugs in California history, is valued at $325 million, police said. The three suspects, who are being held at Los Angeles County Jail, include Jorge Humberto Restrepo, 40, and Jairo Santamaria Hinestroza, 26, both of Colombia, and Juan Vicente Murray-Blanco, 33, a Cuban. After receiving a tip from the drug agency, Los Angeles police officers said they followed Restrepo for nearly a month. He met Murray-Blanco in a hotel parking lot, where he allegedly exchanged 66 pounds of cocaine for cash, police said. The rest of the cocaine was found in closets at a home rented by Restrepo.