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Glendale police find 10 pounds of opium in home

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A 56-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after police found 10 pounds of opium inside his La Crescenta home, police said.

Gevork Hakopian, an alleged opium supplier, was taken into custody about 2:30 p.m. on suspicion of possessing the drug and materials to package it for sale at his home in the 2700 block of Los Olivos Lane, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. The street value of the opium was estimated at between $10,000 and $12,000, he added.

Narcotics detectives were conducting surveillance of another home in the 200 block of South Cedar Street after receiving information that the resident, Seroj Heraped, was selling the drugs, Lorenz said.

During the surveillance, they noticed Hakopian arrived at Heraped’s home and then later left, Lorenz said.

Detectives followed Hakopian and stopped him for several vehicle code violations, according to police.

He allowed detectives to search his car, where they found 1.5 pounds of opium in the center console, police said. He was also carrying $1,600.

Hakopian was allegedly delivering a supply of opium — a highly addictive drug derived from the poppy plant that is used in codeine, morphine and heroin — to Heraped’s home, Lorenz said.

Detectives obtained warrants to search Hakopian’s and Heraped’s home, where they found packaging materials, he added.

Narcotics detectives discovered opium inside a pot on a kitchen stove inside Hakopian’s home, police said.

Heraped was cited and released on his own recognizance, Lorenz said.

Hakopian was booked and later released on $30,000 bail, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records.

Follow Veronica Rocha on Google+ and Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA.

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