The State - News from Feb. 26, 1989

Four San Jose men have been arrested as part of “Operation Polar Cap,” a continuing federal probe into a $1-billion cocaine money-laundering network. Johnny Elias Chawi, 34; Emil Youssel Chawi, 45; Sadir Mouaflack Ajmeh, 32, and Leon Elovits, 38, were taken into custody after allegedly making cash deposits of less than $10,000 to banks to evade banking laws that require notifying the Internal Revenue Service if more than $10,000 is deposited, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco said. So far, as a result of the investigation, 37 people have been charged with taking in at least $1 billion through merchants in Los Angeles, Texas, Florida and New York. The money eventually was sent to Colombian drug lords, authorities said.