(KTLA) On the early morning of Aug. 7, a coordinated force of law enforcement officers descended on several locations across the San Fernando Valley, executing search warrants tied to one of the region’s largest narcotics trafficking investigations.
Led by the Simi Valley Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, and backed by SWAT, K-9 units, drone operators, crime scene investigators, and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Ventura office, the multi-location operation targeted a sophisticated Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) suspected of flooding the area with deadly narcotics.
Warrants were served at two residences, one on Morella Avenue in North Hollywood and another on De Celis Place in Van Nuys, as well as two businesses, one in Northridge on Reseda Boulevard and another in North Hollywood on Lankershim Avenue. The swift, tactical raids followed a year-and-a-half-long investigation that uncovered a sprawling network spanning Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Bernardino counties.
According to authorities, detectives traced a fleet of vehicles linked to the DTO making near-daily trips into Simi Valley and surrounding communities, delivering vast quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. The frequency and scale of the shipments alarmed officials, who feared the drugs’ lethal potential on the streets.
After months of surveillance, intelligence gathering, and close coordination between local and federal agencies, the warrants aimed to dismantle the distribution hubs that supported this illicit operation.
The raids culminated in the arrest of five individuals: Jorge M. Chavez, 26; Angel Omar Garcia, 30; Arturo Julio Sanchez, 37; and Victor Manuel Correa, 22, all of North Hollywood; and Jorge Valdivia, 26, of Van Nuys. All were booked at Ventura County Main Jail on felony charges including possession and transportation of controlled substances for sale, methamphetamine-related offenses, and criminal conspiracy.
Investigators recovered an alarming haul: 22 pounds of fentanyl, nearly 19 pounds of methamphetamine, 4.5 pounds of heroin, one pound of cocaine, and 12,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. Officials also seized drug-packaging materials, digital scales, and $129,700 in cash suspected to be proceeds from drug sales.
The DEA emphasizes the extreme danger of fentanyl, estimating that as little as two milligrams can be fatal. The 22 pounds seized in this operation could yield roughly five million lethal doses, underscoring the critical public health threat posed by these narcotics. The overall street value of the seized drugs is estimated at $1.4 million.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities vowing continued efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect communities from the devastating impact of opioid and stimulant abuse.
