Cocaine Valued at $111 Million Seized
Long Beach law enforcement officials have broken up a major cocaine distribution network, seizing 1,210 pounds of cocaine, valued at about $111 million on the street, police said Thursday.
Four men were arrested and charged with cocaine possession and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, police said. They were identified as Luis Borda, 51, of Orange; Humberto Garcia, 25, of Los Angeles; Jose Karam, 44, of Rosemead, and Julian Valencia, 28, of Cudahay.
Police said Borda, Garcia and Karam are being held on $4 million bail each and Valencia is being held on $2 million bail in a Long Beach jail.
A drug enforcement task force that included the Long Beach Police Department’s narcotics unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. attorney’s office had worked together on the investigation since 1988.
“I believe this is the largest cocaine seizure in the state’s history,” said Long Beach Police Sgt. Don E. Murray.
The drugs were confiscated in Garden Grove on Saturday and in Costa Mesa on Monday, authorities said.
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