Nine suspected drug traffickers allegedly disguised large amounts of methamphetamine as decorative Aztec calendars and statues in shipments to Hawaii, federal authorities said.
Eight defendants named in a seven-count grand jury indictment last week were arrested Tuesday in Southern California in connection with a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, including an attempted shipment of nearly 25 pounds of pure meth from a post office in Garden Grove to the Aloha State in July, the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced Tuesday.
The drugs were part of a nearly 90-pound package that appeared to be colorful decorative items, including replicas of a 500-year-old Aztec calendar stone.
The ring is also suspected of sending two other packages to Hawaii stuffed with nearly 5 pounds and 2 pounds of meth, respectively. All three alleged shipments were intercepted by authorities, federal officials said.
The suspects were identified as Felix Salgado, 28, of Perris; Vaimanino Lee Pomele, 49, of Garden Grove; Fernando Caballero Rascon, 42, of Garden Grove; James Arnold Borbon, 58, of Garden Grove; Moises Rey Avina, 39, of Santa Ana; Alejandra Pomele, 44, of Garden Grove; Gary Wayne Minter, 55, of Victorville; and Stephen Dgewell Martin, 30, of Anaheim.
A ninth suspect charged in the indictment, German Bastidas Nunez, also known as “Cheque,” was already in federal custody in connection with an unrelated case, federal authorities said.
If convicted on counts including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth, each suspect could face decades behind bars.
The arrests were conducted with assistance from agents with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, officials said.
“Methamphetamine — no matter how it’s packaged — is a powerful drug that devastates our communities,” Mark Zito, assistant special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles, said in a statement. “[Homeland Security Investigations] will continue to closely collaborate with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to keep this dangerous contraband from reaching our streets.”
