Two Tons of Cocaine Seized

More than two tons of cocaine worth an estimated $150 million were seized during a six-month investigation into a Southland drug-trafficking ring believed linked to the East Coast and a Colombian cartel, law enforcement officials announced Thursday in Anaheim.

Officials said 4,558 pounds of cocaine stored in the Los Angeles County cities of Glendale, Lynwood and Bellflower were seized by a task force of Orange County law enforcement agencies. The task force handled the case after it developed information last October about a drug network distributing cocaine in Orange County.

Three Colombian nationals have been arrested in connection with the case, Anaheim Police Chief Joseph Molloy said. In addition, eight vehicles and $20,000 in cash were confiscated, he said.

The first drug seizure in the case occurred Nov. 25 when investigators followed a motor home from a Glendale warehouse and stopped it on Interstate 40 in the Mojave Desert, officials said. About 1,540 pounds of cocaine were found in the motor home, officials said. The rest of the cocaine was seized Wednesday during raids in Bellflower and Lynwood, officials said.