Denton police seize white heroin, arrest 3 illegal immigrants

06:37 PM CST on Thursday, January 10, 2008

By DONNA FIELDER / Denton Record-Chronicle

Denton County sheriff's officers seized more than a half-million dollars' worth of white heroin and arrested three illegal immigrants earlier this week after a six-month investigation.

Capt. Jeff Wawro, who supervises the sheriff's Drug Enforcement Unit and SWAT team, said those officers, along with officers from Lewisville and Dallas police, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, stopped a vehicle in the 1700 block of Lake Point Drive in Lewisville on Monday. Inside the vehicle they found a kilogram of white heroin with a street value of $544,000, he said.

White heroin is a rare, illegal substance that arrives in the United States through international channels, Wawro said.

Most heroin seized by local authorities is a less-pure form called black heroin.

The officers arrested three men inside the vehicle. Omar Martinez-Alonso, 30, of Dallas remained Thursday evening in Denton County Jail charged with manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance over 400 grams. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Oscar Miguel Hernandez, 54, of Dallas and Jose Alejanro Martinez, 39, of Chicago are in federal custody with federal charges pending.

None are legal U.S. residents, Wawro said.

Wawro said he believes the seizure is the largest haul of white heroin in Denton County history. He attributes the success of the county's drug unit to combined training and assignments between the drug unit and SWAT officers. Narcotics officers have specialized training in their area, but SWAT officers concentrate on advanced law enforcement methods that add a layer of safety to the operations.

"About a year and a half ago, we recognized the need for narcotics and SWAT to work together," Wawro said. "They train together at least once a month and learn the abilities and resources each team possesses. As a result of this marriage, we have had a tremendous result, and it's a so much safer way to work."

DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com.

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