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Saturday, April 24, 2021

Another Huge California Bust: $10,000,000 Worth of Hard Drugs Siezed

"Yaqui" for Borderland Beat

Merced County Drug Trafficking Investigation Leads To Turlock Man’s Arrest; Approximately $10 Million Worth Of Drugs Seized:

An investigation into a Merced County drug trafficking operation resulted in a Turlock man’s arrest after more than $10 million worth of drugs – including meth, cocaine and heroin – was located at his Huntington Beach residence, the California Department of Justice announced on Thursday.

Luis Armando Romero Jr. faces a one-count indictment for distributing meth based on an alleged sale in Merced County, the DOJ said in a news release.

On April 6, authorities searched Romero Jr.’s Huntington Beach home and located approximately 280 pounds of meth, 25 kilograms of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl pills, three kilograms of fentanyl powder, two pounds of heroin and over $73,000 in cash, officials said.

Merced Area Gang and Narcotic Enforcement Team (MAGNET) began investigating meth supply in Merced County in January. Romero Jr. was identified as a suspect during that investigation and it was learned he had a residence in Huntington Beach.

The DOJ said the Huntington Beach Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department assisted MAGNET in the investigation.

                           

California Department of Justice Announces Results of Investigation into Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Operation in the Central Valley:

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the results of a search warrant operation in Huntington Beach by the DOJ-led Merced Area Gang & Narcotic Enforcement Team (MAGNET) that led to the arrest of Luis Armando Romero Jr. of Turlock. Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California Phillip A. Talbert announced today that Romero Jr. faces a one-count indictment charging him with distribution of methamphetamine based on an alleged sale in Merced County earlier this year.

In January, MAGNET began an investigation into the source of the supply of methamphetamine in Merced County. The investigation culminated in a search warrant operation on Romero Jr.’s Huntington Beach residence on April 6, 2021. During the search, agents seized approximately 280 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 kilograms of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl pills, three kilograms of fentanyl powder, two pounds of heroin, and over $73,000 in U.S. currency. The estimated street value of the drugs that were seized is over $10 million. MAGNET agents were assisted during the operation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Huntington Beach Police Department. Romero Jr. was arrested during the search.

MAGNET is a multiagency task force led by DOJ that is federally funded through the national High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. It is comprised of members from the California Department of Justice, Merced County Sheriff’s Office, Merced Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Merced County Probation Department, Merced County District Attorney’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Today’s charges are the result of effective multiagency and multijurisdictional collaboration by all the law enforcement agencies involved. Together, agents were able to zero in and take down an individual allegedly involved in trafficking illegal drugs in Merced County.

It is important to note that every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


From the USDOJ:

Department of Justice.  U.S. Attorney’s Office.   Eastern District of California   Thursday, April 22, 2021

Turlock Man Charged for Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Operation:

Fresno, California: A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Luis Armando Romero Jr., 20, of Turlock, charging him with distribution of methamphetamine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon made the announcement with the California Department of Justice.

According to court documents, on Jan. 28, in Merced County, Romero sold approximately 1 kilogram of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Subsequently, on April 6, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Romero’s residence in Huntington Beach and found approximately 280 pounds (127 kilograms) of methamphetamine, 55 pounds (25 kilograms) of cocaine, 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of fentanyl pills, 6.6 pounds (3 kilograms) of fentanyl powder, and 2 pounds (907 grams) of heroin. Agents also seized more than $73,000 in cash.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Department of Justice, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotic Enforcement Team, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio J. Pataca and Kathleen Servatius are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Romero faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation, the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sources: US DOJ/ CA DOJ / SacCBSLocal

25 comments:

  1. How the hell is all that worth 10 million dollars???

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    Replies
    1. Do your math do multiple, then division, then today's retail market rate.

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    2. It's worth whatever the DEA says. Sieg heil!

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  2. Adelberto Frutoso Comparan and his son selling out their associates for that sweet sweet deal.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Andele güey,
    pa que se le quite la pinchi maña de andar ahi de caliente

    ReplyDelete
  4. Do cartels routinely hand over $10 mil of product to random kids? I've seen a lot of 18, 20 year olds caught with multimillion dollar quantities. Everyone I ever knew that could get weight at that age was getting it from their dad, uncle, etc. Maybe I'm wrong. And how is that a one count indictment? I feel like I'd be lucky to get less than 5 accounts out of that.

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  5. There are probably dozens if not hundreds of houses like these in California the Golden State.
    They call it Golden because of money of course. Where there is money there are drugs.

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    Replies
    1. Correct.
      especially in all the big Ag towns en Los Valles Grandes.
      does anyone remember " Operation Black Widow " ??
      If not READ the book. A tad old now, but still an eye opener.

      Delete
    2. They call it the GOLDEN STATE because of the GOLD rush

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    3. 650AM There are thousands of these in the valley. Over 10000 offices in CA. Easy. There are capos that run 50-75 offices alone in So Cal, Fresno/Madera, Modesto/Ceres/Los Banos/Livingston/Patterson/Tracy, Sac Area, East Bay, Santa Clara County, Bay Area, Santa Rosa and upwards.

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    4. @9:54 I really doubt one individual has 50-75 places that slang for him, might as well be moving weight wholesale. If you're talking about customers than yup but a "capo" would be a fool to have so many workers that could short, steal, snitch, setup and jack him and without taking into account the movement of product and HIDTA being on your ass. I guess it could be possible as this dude might be a classic example of what you write but look at how that shit blew up...

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    5. Besides feds..im wonder who is the most dominant and powerful crime groups in the US nowdays?

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    6. 6:50 reward for not telling the judge half the drugs is missing...
      DEA agent SANDY GONZALEZ got kicked out of Florida for not keeping quiet about missing drugs DEA had confiscated, and got fired for whistleblowing about Casas de La Muerte de Cd Juarez and US justice department complicity.

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    7. @11:32 there really isn't one it just depends on area/state you are as far as what criminal group dominates.

      USA has so many different ethic background almost all w with their own criminal groups its impossible for one to 'dominate' like the movies show.

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    8. 1037 Offices as in wholesale. 100% there are low key individuals that have this type of reach.

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  6. Chingado...big time!

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  7. Homie was either snitched on, or snitched on himself. They move out here in Merced, but many post on social media too much. Young dude too, either going to have to click up or witsec.

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  8. Nothing new here in Turlock (209). This area has been doing BIG things For YEARS...G.C.

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  9. They need to catch more of these degenerates.

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  10. Cali is controlled by LFN...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope California is by CC18
      Not the Los Flacos Nortenos lol!

      Delete
  11. I swear they gotta a bunch of idiots working in the central valley always getting busted

    ReplyDelete

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