KCSO also dismantled a meth lab

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Posted: 08/21/2013
Last Updated: 3 hours ago

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Six people were arrested in the Bakersfield area after officers found about 40 pounds of meth during a drug bust.

On the morning of Tuesday, August 21, narcotics investigators from the KCSO Major Violator Unit ended a several week investigation with a traffic stop of three people suspected of being in possession of large amounts of meth.

With the assistance of the Kern County California Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team, The Kern Narcotics Enforcement Team, The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, and the KCSO Gang Suppression Section-Investigations unit, detectives conducted a traffic stop on two vehicles that were traveling together in the 6900 block of Longford Court in south Bakersfield.

Officials said ten pounds of meth were found in a diaper box in the back seat of one of the vehicles.

The vehicle occupants were arrested and booked into the Kern County Jail for possession of meth for sales, transportation of meth, and conspiracy.

Officials identified the vehicle occupants as identified as 45-year-old Pedro Ochoa-Monzon of Phoenix, 32-year-old, Cecil Hernandez of Avenal, and 23-year-old Elmar Ochoa-Hernandez of Los Angeles.

Immigration detainers were placed on Hernandez and Ochoa-Hernandez after they were determined to be illegal aliens by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Local law enforcement said the street value of the seized drugs is estimated at $363,200.

Later that same day, the Kern County Cal-MMET finished a second, unrelated undercover investigation in a south Bakersfield restaurant parking lot with the assistance of the KCSO MVU, KNET, GSS-I, and HIDTA.

Narcotics detectives said they made contact with three people in two vehicles parked near each other in the parking lot.

Officers identified the three people as , identified as 47-year-old Milpitas resident, Diego Solis; 38-year-old San Jose resident, Sandro Solis; and 26-year-old Patricia Andrade of Porterville.

Deputies said they found about 22 pounds of meth, which was sealed in a large dog food bag and placed in the trunk of one of the cars.

All three suspects were arrested and booked into the Kern County Jail for possession of meth for sales, transportation of meth, and conspiracy.

An immigration detainer was placed on Sandro Solis, who was determined to be an illegal alien by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials.

Cal-MMET and HIDTA capped the investigation with a search warrant at an apartment in the 900 block of Ohio Street in Porterville. The apartment was believed to be related to the drug trafficking operation, officials said.

During the search, investigators also found an active meth manufacturing and conversion lab as well as an additional seven pounds of meth and about eight gallons of meth solution, which can yield more finished meth product.

Detectives said HIDTA processed and dismantled the lab.

Additional charges of manufacturing methamphetamine will be requested with the District Attorney’s office for Sandro Solis and Patricia Andrade.

The street value of the meth is estimated at about $1,089,600, according to officials.

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