Two Long Beach men were arrested after a stockpile of narcotics worth over $1.5 million dollars was discovered.
The suspects were identified as Hector Valle, 48, and Efren Sanchez, 52, by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
The suspects were tracked down during an investigation into drugs being imported and distributed across Ventura County, including fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine.
On June 16, Valle and Sanchez were taken into custody. A search warrant for both of the suspects’ homes and a vehicle upholstery shop yielded a stockpile of seized ammunition and narcotics.
Authorities believed Valle had been using an upholstery shop in Gardena to store, package and distribute his narcotics.
A search of the upholstery shop on the 17000 block of Broadway Avenue resulted in the discovery of a semi-automatic firearm, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cutting agents, packaging material and heroin.
During a search of Sanchez’s home on the 2200 block of Cota Avenue, investigators found “several firearms, U.S. currency believed to be earned derived from drug sales and two vehicles used during a commission of a crime.”
A search of Valle’s home on the 100 block of 69th Street resulted in the seizure of several firearms and additional evidence linking Valle to the case.
In total, authorities seized approximately 33 pounds of black tar heroin, 2.2 pounds of fentanyl, one pound of methamphetamine, counterfeit M30 (fentanyl) pills, six weapons, and several thousand dollars in suspected drug proceeds.
The street value of the narcotics is estimated to be worth over $1.5 million dollars.
Both men were arrested and booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility for narcotic and firearm-related charges. They were later released on bail pending future court hearings.