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Friday, February 16, 2007
100 pounds of heroin found
BY DENISSE SALAZAR
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ANAHEIM - Six suspects are in custody today after an enforcement action Wednesday, which culminated with the seizure of more than 100 pounds of Mexican brown heroin at an Anaheim home.

It is believed to be one of the largest heroin seizures ever made in California and one of the largest in the United States, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The street value of the heroin is estimated at $4 million to $6 million, said Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.

"This will put a big dent in the availability of Mexican heroin in California," said William Hayes, assistant special agent for ICE in Orange County. A significant seizure would be 10 to 11 kilos, he added.

The investigation began Wednesday afternoon after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro border crossing detected a vehicle entering the United States carrying five bundles of heroin.

The border agency alerted San Diego ICE agents, who tracked the vehicle to a residence on the 1400 block of West Chevy Chase Drive in Anaheim.

ICE agents, accompanied by officers from the Irvine and Anaheim police departments, searched the home, where they recovered a total of 121 pounds of heroin, as well as significant quantities of marijuana and methamphetamine, officials said.

All six suspects were arrested at the Anaheim residence. Two are female U.S. Citizens and the rest are Mexican males without legal status, Kice said.


Contact the writer: 714-704-3709 or desalazar@ocregister.com

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