Four suspects have been arrested in connection to two separate large drug busts in Mesa, and the department is calling it of the largest busts in the department’s history.
Officers were able to seize over 700,000 fentanyl pills and more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. Both cases occurred on Nov. 9.
In the first incident, Raymond Cabrera, 42, was arrested after police discovered and seized 28,500 fentanyl pills, 7.5 ounces of methamphetamine, 2 grams of cocaine, over $3,100 in cash, and a .9mm handgun.
The second incident, is considered to be the “largest drug bust” in the history of the Mesa Police Department. On Nov. 9, a traffic stop led police to search an apartment near Country Club and University Drives. Inside the “stash house,” officers discovered 714,300 fentanyl pills, 3.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, six pounds of meth, 3.6 pounds of heroin and two pounds of cocaine.
Police also found $17,039 in cash, one gun and boxes of ammo. Officers arrested 36-year-old Jesus Rojas Romero, 20-year-old Alex Ruiz, and 22-year-old Christian Valles Castro. Police say the total value of the drugs came in at over $4.4 million.
All four suspects were booked into jail. Police report that the two drug busts were not related but both occurred last week.
Both of these cases were worked with help from Mesa SWAT and the Organized Crime Section of the Mesa Police Department. Officers worked diligently to gather intelligence and conduct important surveillance, which led them to serve search warrants, granting access to remove these illegal and dangerous drugs off of the streets.
