2 Arrested in City’s Largest Heroin Bust

Police arrested two suspects and seized about $1.5 million in heroin and more than $200,000 in cash in what officials described Wednesday as the largest heroin bust in the city’s history.

Narcotics investigators also recovered several weapons and cars used to transport the heroin, said Police Sgt. Bump Willis of the Special Investigations Unit.

Police arrested Rolando Ortiz, 22, of Garden Grove about 5 p.m. Tuesday after following him to an apartment complex in Santa Ana, where he “delivered approximately 1 pound of heroin,” Willis said.

Investigators found $42,000 in cash in a bag inside the suspect’s car.

Police then searched some storage lockers in Santa Ana and three houses--two in Garden Grove and one in Westminster. Investigators found 7 1/2 pounds of pure heroin, worth about $1.5 million in street value, at the locations, Willis said.

Also seized were several handguns and a shotgun, three cars used to transport the drugs and $180,000 in cash found “in closets, drawers and wallets,” Willis said.

A second suspect, Arturo Cardenas, 24, of Westminster, was arrested at the Westminster house.

Both suspects were booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of conspiracy to sell heroin. Ortiz was being held in lieu of $1 million bail and Cardenas on $25,000 bail.

Willis said the bust--the result of a monthlong investigation--was the largest in the city’s history. The investigation is continuing.