Fifteen people were arrested and $16 million worth of illegal drugs were seized during a massive cartel bust in Southern California.
The operation, nicknamed “Hotline Bling,” was a multi-agency investigation targeting a Sinaloa drug trafficking network operating in the Inland Empire.
The investigation began in March 2023 and ended in April 2024. It involved the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Riverside District Office, the Riverside Police Department, and assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service.
During the large-scale operation, agents seized around 376 pounds of methamphetamine, 600,000 fentanyl tablets, 37.4 pounds of fentanyl, 1.4 kilograms of cocaine, and seven firearms.
The estimated street value for the narcotics is around $16 million, Riverside police said.
The amount of narcotics seized during the bust prevented the distribution of more than 10 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl within the Inland Empire and throughout the United States, officials said.
Some of the arrested suspects were identified as:
- Jose Javier Raya Cortez, 21
- Cesar Noe Raya Cortez, 23
- Julio Cesar Maganafranco Jr., 23
- David Crosthwaite, 24
- Carlos Ninoarias, 25
- Cristopher Antonio Arreola Alvarado, 25
- Alexis Raeleen Trevino, 26
- Andrew Aguilar, 27
- Michael Edwin Alva, 31
- Rolando Claros, 31
- Mario Daniel Miranda Duarte, 33
- Herman Leon, 34
“As fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to ravage our communities, we will continue to target drug trafficking organizations that put profit over people’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “The indictment filed by my office alleges that three men shipped kilogram-quantity parcels of narcotics through the United States Postal Service. Those who traffic in dangerous narcotics must be held accountable.”
“We will continue leveraging every available resource to disrupt drug distribution trying to make its way into our Riverside neighborhoods,” said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. “Our collaboration with the DEA is not just about enforcement, but it’s about safeguarding the future of our community and ensuring that Riverside remains a safe and thriving place for people to live, work, and raise families.”
The multi-jurisdictional investigation was conducted by the DEA Riverside District Office, the Riverside Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from DEA Wilmington District Office, DEA San Diego Field Division Narcotics Task Force, DEA San Jose District Office, and DEA Special Operations Division.