Police Seize Drugs, Weapons, Arrest 4 in Undercover Probe

Ending a monthlong undercover investigation, police this week seized 31 pounds of methamphetamine, marijuana and heroin and arrested three men and one teenager suspected in a drug-trafficking operation, officials said.

After searching two homes of suspected drug dealers, officers found 25 pounds of methamphetamine, five pounds of heroin, one pound of marijuana, $10,000 in cash, two shotguns and a rifle at three locations Tuesday, said Police Sgt. Steve Despenas, who released the information Thursday.

Servando Castaneda, 22, Pedro Rosales Ochoa, 24, Roberto Barajas Cano, 50, and a 16-year-old, all of Santa Ana, were arrested on suspicion of four drug-related crimes: selling methamphetamine, selling cocaine, possession for sale of heroin and possession for sale of methamphetamine.

The arrests were made at West Edinger Avenue and Fairview Road after searches of homes in the 1100 block of West Highland Street and the 900 block of West Brook Street, officials said.

The adults were booked into Santa Ana Jail on $50,000 bail. The teenager was taken to a juvenile detention center.

“We feel that this was a major trafficking operation, which came to a successful end with the arrests of these individuals,” Despenas said.

Officers monitored the suspects and the houses for a month. During undercover operations, they posed as drug users and purchased narcotics to acquire evidence.

The men were expected to be arraigned this week at the Justice Center in Santa Ana.