Santa Cruz: The Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team arrested four Santa Cruz men and a transient on charges of possession of heroin for sale and conspiracy to distribute heroin Friday afternoon.
At about 4:45 p.m., the team seized 215 grams of heroin and $14,000 in cash while conducting a probation compliance check on Juan Manuel Chavez-Orlandes at his place of business on the 2-1400 block of E. Cliff Drive.
According to Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team Commander Mario Sulay, the seized heroin had an estimated street value of about $17,000.
Chavez-Orlandes was not at the business when agents, supported by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Officers, initially arrived.
Instead, the team encountered 35-year-old Jose Ponce of Santa Cruz; 30-year-old Jose Sanchez of Santa Cruz; 30 year-old Ernesto Chavez of Santa Cruz; 35 year-old Juan Chavez-Orlandes of Santa Cruz; and 31 year-old Inocencio Caveromaldonado, who police described as a transient.
Ponce, Caveromaldonado and Sanchez were in a separate part of the business where the heroin was sitting out in the open, Sulay said.
Chavez-Orlandes returned to the business during the investigation and was detained with the others.
After obtaining search warrants, Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team agents arrested the five men based on evidence found at the scene, including evidence of heroin distribution.
