December 28, 2023 - Ventura County Sheriff's Office officials report that on December 21, 2023, detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit concluded a five-month investigation into a transnational drug trafficking organization operating a narcotics delivery service that supplied Ventura County residents with cocaine. As a result of the investigation, eight members of the delivery service were arrested, over five pounds of cocaine, five firearms and a significant amount of suspected drug proceeds were seized.
Background:
Drug trafficking organizations like this narcotics delivery service are structured to sell their drugs to as many customers and across as wide of a geographical area as possible. These narcotics delivery services are typically made up of several components, including: (1) The Cell Head, who is the highest-ranking member of the drug trafficking organization within the United States, and who typically recruits and vets workers. This person is typically responsible for the coordination of the smuggling of the cell’s drug supply and the funneling of illicit proceeds between their base country and the United States; (2) Dispatchers, who are responsible for taking incoming orders and dispatching drivers to deliver those orders to the customer; (3) Stash House Operators, who store and repackage drugs; (4) Couriers, who are responsible for receiving incoming narcotics supply shipments and delivering illicit proceeds to suppliers; and (5) Delivery Drivers, who deliver narcotics to local customers. Depending on the size and scope of the delivery service, some of these roles may overlap or be further compartmentalized.
Investigation:
In July of 2023, Ventura County Sheriff’s Narcotics Street Team detectives learned of a narcotics delivery service operating within the eastern portion of Ventura County and Los Angeles County.
An investigation was initiated which revealed Joel Cruz Ayala and Elmer Ayala-Ayala, both from Bakersfield, were working for the organization as full-time dispatchers. Luis Cruz was identified as the dispatch house manager, who was in direct communication with high-ranking members of the organization in El Salvador. The organization employed multiple delivery drivers including Wilfredo Castillo, Lisandro Moreno, Kevin Bonilla, Jose Ayala Hernandez, and Noel Cruz. During the investigation, detectives observed Castillo, Moreno, and Hernandez deliver drugs to multiple customers throughout Ventura County. The investigation revealed this narcotics delivery service was supplying cocaine to hundreds of people daily throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
On December 21, 2023, detectives executed a search warrant at numerous locations in Bakersfield and the neighborhoods of Panorama City and North Hills in the city of Los Angeles. Castillo, Moreno, Bonilla, Hernandez, and Noel Cruz were located and arrested at their residences in Panorama City and North Hills. They were each found to be in possession of a large amount of pre-packaged cocaine ready to be delivered, as well as large sums of suspected drug proceeds. Joel Cruz, Elmer Ayala-Ayala and Luis Cruz were located and arrested at their residences and the dispatch house in Bakersfield. A significant amount of evidence was located exposing their large-scale transnational drug trafficking organization, including money transfers to higher ranking members of the organization in El Salvador.
Conclusion:
Detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit believe the conclusion of this part of the investigation will greatly disrupt this organization. However, detectives continue to investigate numerous other leads which will aid them in their pursuit of dismantling it completely.
While the Sheriff’s Office recognizes the public health threat posed by the current opioid crisis, we also remain vigilant against the damage caused to our communities by all other forms of illegal narcotics, including cocaine. Cocaine remains one of the most abused illicit drugs worldwide with a high risk of addiction. Cocaine use can negatively impact every organ of the body and an overdose can cause physical emergencies, up to and including death.
Source & photo: Ventura County Sheriff's Office
