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Santa Barbara County’s largest drug bust ever

August 20, 2020

Multiple law enforcement agencies arrested 33 people and seized 3,164 pounds of methamphetamine Wednesday morning, in  the largest drug seizure in the history of Santa Barbara County.

Following an extensive investigation, shortly after 3 a.m., law enforcement personnel intercepted a panga boat at Arroyo Quemada beach. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies were assisted by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security, FBI, United States Coast Guard, California State Parks Police and the California Highway Patrol.

“Today’s seizure of a panga boat illicitly smuggling more than a ton and a half of methamphetamine into our county and the arrest of the 33 suspects responsible for transporting and unloading its ruinous cargo was a major milestone in counter-drug operations in Santa Barbara County,” said Sheriff Bill Brown. “Drug cartels, smugglers and illicit narcotic dealers know no international, state or local boundaries.”

The panga boat, which originated in Mexico, was tracked to the shore of Arroyo Quemada beach.

The arrestees include 29 adult males, one adult female and three juveniles. The 30 adults were transported by jail van and transported to the Santa Barbara County Main Jail for conspiracy and transportation of narcotics for sale.

Two of the suspects, Ricardo Desales and Fernando Arroyo, attempted to flee. Sheriff K9 units bit both men. They are also facing charges of resisting arrest.

This case will be prosecuted by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office pending review by the United States Attorney.


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Here we go again, medical meth then recreational meth. Next we’ll have an ordinance to allow for explosive chemistry zoning. We continuously hear about the money to be made on Pot, how it will be an economic boom for the county. With meth and no controls that boom already happens, the dental industry would explode too, providing new jobs and nobody will need to sleep for days bringing our productivity to new economic heights. Between Pot and Meth this money could make us the richest losers in the world. The key thing to remember, it is all about the money, right? If you aren’t sure, just listen to the public comments and drug planners for SLO County. Neighbor to Santa Barbara.


0

We really need open borders…


…you know…so they don’t have to risk coming in by boat, getting wet, and catching their death of a cold.


Oh…and defund the police, right? We don’t need their pesky protections any more. The cartels will watch over Californians.


47

Quit making a meth bust a left or right sided event. No one wants meth in their community, and Americans using meth are as big of a problem as the transport of such, why not bash makers of oxycodone and bad Drs causing the Opiate epidemic, why is big pharma being sued?. What demographic of Americans use meth? I can tell you one thing, poverty comes into the statistics.


3

Finish the story “All suspects were released on No-Bail” and were asked to return for their hearings. Probably back on the street or back on the next panga boat.


48