Raids Net Drug Hoard, 16 Suspects

Authorities Saturday seized $38 million worth of cocaine and nearly $300,000 worth of heroin, and arrested 16 suspected members of a narcotics-distribution ring that operated from an estate in a gated community of Bell Canyon, police said Monday.

Bell Canyon, in Ventura County, lies just west of Canoga Park.

The arrests and seizures culminated a six-week investigation that spanned Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura counties and was conducted by Los Angeles police, Anaheim police, Ventura County sheriff’s and federal Drug Enforcement Administration officials, police said.

The house on North Marlboro Lane, estimated to be worth about $3 million, was believed to be the headquarters of the ring, Los Angeles police spokesmen said. The operation was a “major narcotics-distribution organization,” Lt. J. R. Schiller said.

At the Marlboro Lane house and at seven locations throughout Los Angeles County, police seized 225 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $38.3 million and 372 grams of heroin with a street value of $297,600, as well as seven luxury cars, five guns, 40 pieces of gold jewelry and more than $500,000 in cash, they said.

Twelve suspects were arrested in Los Angeles County, and four others were found at the Marlboro Lane house. They were booked on suspicion of possession of cocaine for sale, police said.

Fourteen men were being held at Parker Center and two women at Sybil Brand Institute in lieu of $2-million bail each.

Arrested were William Landono, 23, Humberto Bueno, 29, Jose Jaramillo, 27, and Katea Serrano, 23, all of Bell Canyon; Alejandro Mispiretta, 28, of Anaheim; Gustavo Mejia, 30, of Reseda; Francisco de Jesus Porras, 27, and Martha Marin, 27, both of Van Nuys, and Juan Carlos Lopes, 36, of Yorba Linda. All are Colombians, police said.

Police also arrested Enrique Oswaldo Lecca, 34, of Anaheim; Ricardo Manuel Gonzales, 33, of Bellflower; Comargo Agustin Amaro, 41, Jesus Antonio Laija, 34, Victor Quinones-Censeros, 23, Kenneth Groom, 31, and Kevin Jackson, 22, all of Los Angeles.

All are scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles Municipal Court on Wednesday.

So far this year, the Los Angeles Police Department has seized more than 4,000 pounds of cocaine worth about $681 million and arrested 484 people for possession of cocaine for sale, Schiller said.

The amount of cocaine discovered by officers has increased 221% over the same period last year, during which 1,245 pounds were seized, he said.