“Seizing illegal narcotics and arresting those who traffic them only benefits are communities and works to protect us in our daily lives. This is an ongoing battle that takes the work of dedicated law enforcement officers whose brave actions result in illegal drug seizures such as this.” – CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
SANTA ANA — On September 12, 2023, a suspected drug trafficker was arrested in Santa Ana and 135 pounds of illegal narcotics were seized as a result of a joint operation by the:
- California Department of Justice (DOJ),
- S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),
- West Covina Police Department through the California DOJ-led INCA Task Force,
- with assistance by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The suspect, a suspected associate of the Sinaloa drug cartel, had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in a vehicle and became subject of the multiagency investigation. Agents seized 89 bundles of methamphetamines, totaling 135 pounds, that was located in a hidden compartment on the vehicle. The arrest and seizure are part of an ongoing investigation.
“Through the work of the California Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners, we stopped a trafficker from delivering dangerous illicit drugs that would have ended up in our communities,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “I am grateful for the DOJ agents and our task force partners across the state for their collaboration to get illegal drugs off our streets. This work saves lives. As our state’s chief law enforcement officer, protecting the public safety of Californians is my highest priority.”
The INCA Task Force was formed in 1991, in support of the California Department of Justice’s effort to combat narcotic trafficking, money laundering, and the associated violence. INCA is federally funded through the national High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and is comprised of members from the California DOJ’s Bureau of Investigation, HSI, Riverside Police Department, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, West Covina Police Department, and Murrieta Police Department.
