COUNTYWIDE : $42,000, Drugs Seized in Raids; 5 Arrested

Four men and a woman suspected of operating a large cocaine sales ring have been arrested in a series of raids following a two-month investigation by five Ventura County law enforcement agencies.

“These people had the capacity of selling kilos at a time,” said Oxnard Police Sgt. Joe Munoz.

Police confiscated 56 grams of cocaine and $42,000 in cash during raids Wednesday on three residences in Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ventura. Also seized were 10 guns, four vehicles, sales records and assorted drug paraphernalia, police said.

“We have evidence that we missed some of the dope that had just been distributed,” Munoz said. “But you need cash to buy the drugs and we got that.”

Arrested were Oxnard residents Raymond Chaparro, Erma Hernandez and Lance Williams, all 23. Also arrested were Todd Gamboa, 26, of Ventura and Raul Losaya of Port Hueneme, Munoz said.

All five are being held at Ventura County Jail on bail ranging from $20,000 to $100,000, Munoz said.

Hernandez was arraigned Thursday on charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. The others will be arraigned today, police said.

The operation was the result of a lengthy investigation by the police departments of Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme; the Ventura County district attorney’s office; and the local branch of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Munoz said.

Elsewhere, two men were arrested in Port Hueneme after an ounce of methamphetamine was found in their car, police said Wednesday.

Police arrested Michael Crawford, 24, of Port Hueneme and Mark Cousineau, 28, of Oxnard after the drug was discovered during a car search.