Officers Arrest 8, Seize Drugs and Guns in 3 Raids

After a weeklong investigation, Long Beach police raided three houses, arresting eight people and confiscating $5 million worth of drugs and $12,000 in cash, authorities said Tuesday.

Investigators on Monday afternoon stopped a truck in South Gate and found seven pounds of methamphetamines and handguns, Long Beach police spokeswoman Maria Lopez said. The two people inside the truck were arrested and gave investigators information leading them to the houses, police said.

With the help of sheriff’s detectives, police later Monday raided three houses, one in South Gate, one in Maywood and one in Walnut Park. Methamphetamine labs were found at each of the houses, Lopez said. In all, officers confiscated 110 pounds of methamphetamines, 2.2 pounds of cocaine, eight assault rifles and two handguns.

Taken into custody and being held on $2 million bail each were: Oscar Maldavino, 31, of Walnut Park; Fernando Garcia, 27, of South Gate; Jose Francisco Toledono, 21, of San Bernardino; Oracio Bareto, 25, of Los Angeles; Jesus Ochoa, 30, of Pomona; Rodrigo Ordorica, 48, of Maywood; Jorge Silva, 28, of Maywood, and Juan Jose Rodriguez, 32, of Maywood.