130 Pounds of Drugs Seized, 3 People Held

Detectives seized about 130 pounds of drugs, including methamphetamine, and arrested three suspects during raids in Long Beach and Cudahy, a police spokeswoman said Thursday.

About 9 p.m. Wednesday, police arrested Adolfo Ortiz, 24, and Rudolfo Medina-Torres, 22, then served a search warrant at an apartment at 28 W. Market St., Karen Kerr said.

“At that location, detectives found 100 pounds of ephedrine in the trunk of a vehicle in the garage,” she said, adding that while serving the warrant, investigators also arrested 29-year-old Oscar Flores.

“Ephedrine is a primary ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine,” Kerr said.

She said police served a search warrant at a house at 4909 Live Oak St. in Cudahy.

“After a search of the home, detectives recovered approximately 30 [pounds] of methamphetamine in hidden compartments in a vehicle at that location,” she said.

The spokeswoman said the men were booked on suspicion of conspiracy as well as possession of a controlled substance for sale.

Flores was additionally booked on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance for manufacturing, and Ortiz was wanted on warrants for health and safety violations.

Flores and Medina-Torres were being held at the Long Beach police jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, Kerr said. Ortiz was being held there on $530,000 bail.