Violent Drug Ring Busted, $3M In Marijuana Seized: LSPD
What began as a gun violence investigation in Rancho turned into a force that broke up a Los Santos drug ring and seized $3M in weed.
Posted Tue, Oct 25, 2021 at 3:30 pm PT|Updated Tue, Oct 25, 2021 at 3:44 pm PT
What began as a gun violence investigation in Rancho turned into a multi-agency task force that broke up a Los Santos drug ring. (Courtesy of Los Santos Police Department)
LOS SANTOS, SA — What began as a gun violence investigation in Rancho at the beginning of the year turned into a multi-agency task force — dubbed Operation Jordan Downs — that broke up a violent Los Santos area drug ring, authorities said.
In January, the Los Santos Police Department began investigating gun violence in the city, Chief Anthony Richards said during a Tuesday morning news conference at Los Santos police headquarters.
“It came back to one thing: the shootings that were happening in our city were related to drug sales in our city,” he said.
Investigators linked the shootings to a major drug ring and began looking into several suspects trafficking in large amounts of marijuana and other drugs.
By comparing bullet shell casings with information from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, the drug ring was found to be connected to shootings throughout Los Santos County, Richards said.
Because of the group’s ties to other jurisdictions throughout the Los Santos area and Southern San Andreas, Richards partnered with other local, state and federal agencies. They hosted their first meeting on “how to reduce violent crimes in the Los Santos area,” in April, the chief said.
They pooled their resources and by June, had a plan on how to target the group causing much of the violent crime in the region, according to Richards.
They learned that a large drug shipment in a filled semi-tractor trailer truck was delivered to the Los Santos area from Sandy Shores each week — “sometimes two loads” — according to Richards.
Sold at wholesale, each delivery was worth about $1.8 million and had a street value of about $3 million, he added.
Throughout the long-term investigation, the task force completed more than 130 warrants and 130 subpoenas.
During the last two weeks the following was seized during the execution of six search warrants and 26 arrests:
About 1800 lbs. of marijuana (approximately $3 million street value)
15 guns (three of them were stolen)
$360,000 in cash
7 lbs. of liquid promethazine (codeine)
42 grams of crack cocaine
40 grams of powder cocaine
5 grams of methamphetamine
18 grams of heroin/fentanyl mix
252 BU Crystals
1,054 grams of THC wax
two stolen vehicles
six vehicles seized
Officials said that as the investigation continues, more arrests are expected.
“If you are selling drugs, if you are committing violent crimes in the Los Santos area, we are coming with everything we have,” Richards said.
