2 SLO County men arrested as drug bust turns up $178,000 in narcotics
Two San Luis Obispo County residents suspected of running a large-scale drug trafficking operation were arrested with nearly 12 pounds of illegal narcotics and three handguns last week.
In a monthlong investigation by the Atascadero Police Department's Special Enforcement Team, detectives tracked drug trafficking activities in the North County to a house on the 3400 block of Spring Street in Paso Robles, the Police Department said in a news release.
On May 20, detectives searched the home under a warrant with the help of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office and the Paso Robles Police Department, the news release said.
Evidence discovered during the first search led investigators to a second location, a storage unit in the 3400 block of Park Street in Paso Robles, the release said. A second search warrant was obtained and executed at that location two days later on May 22.
In the searches, detectives seized about $178,000 worth of drugs, including 16 grams of cocaine, 8.14 pounds of fentanyl, 12.2 ounces of methamphetamine, 1.2 pounds of heroin — close to 12 pounds of illegal narcotics, the release said.
Three handguns — one of which was stolen — and two replica guns were also found.
Two Paso Robles residents were arrested in connection with the drug trafficking operation, 35-year-old Edgar Diego Mendoza and 36-year-old Maria Alvarez Lemus.
Mendoza, a former felon, was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on multiple felony charges including conspiracy, possession of narcotics for sale, possession of methamphetamine for sale, possession of stolen property, drug enhancements and committing a felony while on bail or release.
Lemus was booked only for possession of narcotics for sale and conspiracy.
'The Atascadero Police Department would like to extend its sincere appreciation to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office and the Paso Robles Police Department for their partnership and assistance,' the Police Department said in the news release. 'This collaborative effort led to the removal of nearly 12 pounds of dangerous narcotics from our community and the disruption of a major drug trafficking network.'
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