Santa Rosa police warn parents of ‘Emoji Drug Code’ following arrest
(KRON) — Santa Rosa police said they busted a drug dealer who targeted high school students in Sonoma County as buyers. Alvaro Hurtado-Diaz, 32, of Cotati, used social media apps that are popular among teenagers, including Instagram, Snapchat, and Telegram, to sell illicit drugs to minors, according to police.
Detectives with the Santa Rosa Police Department Property Crimes Investigations Team began investigating Hurtado-Diaz in April. “Evidence suggested Hurtado-Diaz was likely targeting juveniles as potential customers. The controlled substances Hurtado-Diaz was selling included marijuana, THC vape pens, psilocybin mushrooms, and cocaine,” SRPD wrote.
On May 8, detectives watched Hurtado-Diaz pick up a student at an access gate in the rear of a Sonoma County high school. “Concerned Hurtado-Diaz was likely about to furnish the juvenile with controlled substances, the detectives conducted a traffic stop on Hurtado-Diaz’ and detained him,” SRPD wrote.
Police said officers found drugs inside his car. Detectives also searched a search warrant on the alleged drug dealer’s house on Highway 116 in Cotati. Inside they found “extensive marijuana products, edibles, THC vape pens, cocaine, and psilocybin mushrooms,” SRPD wrote. Several firearms, including an AR-15 assault weapon and a stolen handgun, were also found.
Detectives are continuing to follow up on this case, including identifying and contacting additional juveniles who may have been targeted by Hurtado-Diaz.
‘Emoji Drug Code’ And Warning Signs For Parents
SRPD wrote, “The Santa Rosa Police Department encourages parents to be extremely vigilant in monitoring social media activity and recognizing signs of drug dealers who children may be communicating with.”
Law enforcement officials released an “Emoji Drug Code” guide to understanding the use of emojis as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s national “One Pill Can Kill” campaign.
For example, a plug emoji is street slang for a social media drug dealer. Other emojis include a blue dot to represent pressed fentanyl pills. Snowflakes and snowmen represent cocaine. Dragon emojis are used for heroin, red hearts can mean MDMA, and crystal balls represent methamphetamine, according to the guide.
Police encourage parents to also monitor their children’s use of peer-to-peer payment applications, such as Venmo.
SRPD wrote, “In this case, the offender used social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and Telegram to sell controlled substances to juveniles, and peer-to-peer payment applications such as CashApp and Venmo to accept payments. This is a popular and increasingly common trend throughout our communities.”
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Hurtado-Diaz was booked into a Sonoma County jail for the following felony offenses: Soliciting controlled substances to minors, child endangerment, furnishing minors with marijuana, possessing controlled substances for sales, possessing narcotics for sales, possessing a stolen firearm, and possessing an assault weapon.
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