Posted on 03/24/2006 9:37:28 AM PST by NormsRevenge
RIALTO - Police have dismantled a major heroin ring they say distributed the drug across the Inland Empire and Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Seven men and three women, all Mexican nationals, were behind bars Thursday on suspicion of running the drugs out of two homes, one in the 300 block of South Forest Avenue and the other in the 600 block of East Carter Street. Narcotics detectives served search warrants at the two residences and made the arrests Tuesday and Wednesday, seizing a half pound of the drug with an estimated street value of $10,000 in the process, said Sgt. Andrew Karol, supervisor of the Rialto Police Department's narcotics team.
"Usually a good (heroin) bust is somewhere in the neighborhood of a half ounce to an ounce if you're looking for sales," Karol said. "This stuff filled up like a half a shoe box. It was packaged up in balloons and ready to go."
An informant dropped a tip to police this week. Police launched an investigation Tuesday that spanned 28 hours.
The East Carter Street address appeared to have been where most of the illegal activity was occurring, Karol said.
"That was the main distribution hub out here," Karol said, adding that a cell phone seized during a search of the residence showed 263 missed calls from phone numbers with area codes in the 714, 310, and 562, among others, Karol said. "We were just kind of scrolling through them. This guy was dealing all over the place."
The drug was packaged in different colored balloons. The color of a balloon indicated the quantity of drug in it, Karol said.
"They had them in different colored bags so they know maybe a tenth of a gram will go in a white balloon or a gram goes in a green balloon," Karol said.
The investigation continues. It is unclear if the alleged drug network distributed drugs outside Southern California, or outside the country for that matter.
"We want to see where some of our other leads will take us," Karol said. "If it ends up we start getting information that leads us to Mexico, we'll probably hook up with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)."
Last week, the same narcotics team, with help from the Colton and San Bernardino police department SMASH units, arrested 29 people and seized 13.5 pounds of marijuana, 2.5 ounces of crack cocaine and eight guns at various residences in the 200 block of East Jackson street. It concluded a two-month crime-fighting initiative coined "Operation Lucky Charms" in recognition of St. Patrick's Day.
Lately, whenever an Hispanic-sounding gang or group is busted for whatever, the local liberal media pukes will not identify their resident status. And I don't know if the San Bernardino County Sheriff's office follows the don't-ask-don't-tell policy mandated in other jurisdictions.
Seven men and three women, all Mexican nationals, were behind bars Thursday on suspicion of running the drugs out of two homes, one in the 300 block of South Forest Avenue and the other in the 600 block of East Carter Street.
Well, if they don't have family values, at least they work cheap. Just think what all the druggies would have to pay if they had to deal with an American supplier.
"They're just doing jobs that Americans won't."
George W. Bush
Kudos, to the Daily Bulletin's coverage of illegal immigration aka "Beyond Borders." They are my local paper.
This article seemed pretty clear. It called them Mexican Nationals. That means they were not Americans.
Mine too. I'm starting to see articles like this in the San Bernardino Sun as well. Looks like the local papers are finally starting to recognize the 800-lb. gorilla in the living room (for all the good it will do).
Aw, give the poor old SB Co. Sherriff's office a break. Even if it is true, they granted me my CCW. And we all know how rare that is in California.
I tried finding his email address, but I cannot find it.
Bump on the "Beyond Borders" reporting.
Claims that we just don't hear enough are readily disproved if folks are willing to look for news and information about the state of things today re:immigration.
I pull quite a few articles from the papers you both mentioned, the Daily Bulletin has done an excellent job reporting both on California and nationally including Congressional hearings/legislation-wise.
Well, first of all, they could be dual-citizens. Second, the point of posting it here is to guess whether they are illegal aliens or not.
Ya, but did the Fat Cowboy give you a free gun too?
(Don't answer that. Anything you say can can be used against you.....LOL)
Free guns? They give out free guns with CCWs? Why am I always the last one to find out about stuff like this? -:)
According to Hillary, these must be 10 of the 12 Apostles...
Just running the smack that Americans won't run, and breaking the laws that Americans won't break. Necessitating the need for lawyers that Americans won't hire, and jails that Americans won't fill.
'Mexican nationals' when they wholesale heroin. 'Immigrants' when they take a job they are not entitled to take (not that that would be stealing or anything'.
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