Over $1M in drugs seized in Earlimart, deputies say
EARLIMART, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Five people were arrested after more than $1 million in drugs were seized during a drug-trafficking operation that included several agencies across California, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday.
According to deputies, the Tulare County High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force (TNT HIDTA) has been conducting an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in Earlimart for about three months.
On Sept. 25, investigators say they searched nine properties, arrested five people, and found 132 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 842 grams of cocaine, two kilos of heroin, 62,200 fentanyl pills, and 818 marijuana plants.
Detectives say they also discovered and dismantled an active methamphetamine conversion lab, which contained liquid methamphetamine in various stages of conversion to crystal methamphetamine. The drugs had a value of about $1.7 million.
Deputies say investigators also seized $10,000, 10 guns, and stolen property worth about $180,000.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218.
According to officials, the operation included help from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office (TNT HIDTA), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA Fresno), the Visalia Police Department, the Porterville Police Department, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol -TRATT, the California Army National Guard, the California Department of Justice – HITT, the Los Angeles Police Department – Harbor Narcotics Unit, the California Department of Justice – Special Operations Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Los Angeles Field Office, the California Department of Justice -Bureau of Forensic Science (BFS) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
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