Sting nets large meth bust in Aptos
Modified: Saturday, Apr 25th, 2009
BY: PETER SEGALL
Photos courtesy of the Santa Cruz Police Department
“More than three pounds of methamphetamine and a stolen handgun were seized and three suspects were arrested by members of the Santa Cruz Police Department in a joint gang/drug sting in Aptos on Wednesday.
Steve Clark of the Santa Cruz Police Department said this was a “significant amount†of the drug and that someone capable of obtaining this quantity was most likely “well-established in the network.â€
The arrests were made after members of SCPD’s Street Crimes Unit worked in collaboration with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit to purchase the drugs in Aptos from men identified as members of the Mara Salvatrucha “MS-13†street gang, according to a press release from SCPD.
The drugs were estimated at a wholesale value of $42,000. When sold on the street, police estimate that amount could double. Local law enforcement has taken notice of the increasing amount of gangs using drug trafficking as a means of support. A seizure of this size represents to officers that individuals are dealing in large quantities.
The three suspects, Pedro Escobar, 22, German Escobar, 23, and Jose Callejas-Alfaro, 29, all Santa Cruz residents, were each charged with possession of methamphetamine for sale, conspiracy to commit a crime, and gang enhancements, police said. German Escobar and Callejas-Alfaro were also charged with resisting arrest. German Escobar was additionally charged with possession of a stolen, loaded handgun, which he tried to discard while attempting to flee, police said. The handgun was reported stolen out of Wilkesboro, N.C.
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For the complete article see the 04-25-2009 issue.
