Two men who police allege are owners of an illegal cannabis operation are in custody Wednesday after being arrested by Los Angeles Police Department narcotics detectives.
Wilshire Narcotics Enforcement Detail conducted a long-term investigation into an illegal cannabis operation in the Mid-City area and were able to identify the owners and operators of the illegal enterprise and obtained search warrants for four locations associated with the investigation, police said.
On Tuesday the Wilshire detail, the Gang Enforcement Detail and the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Group-51 served search warrants at the illegal cannabis grow locations and at residences in Torrance and San Pedro associated with the owners and arrested 35-year-old Alonso Armendariz for suspicion of maintaining an illegal narcotics location and 54-year-old Lazaro Garcia for suspicion of weapons violations and narcotics offenses, authorities said.
Detectives also recovered cannabis, two handguns and a substantial amount of U.S. currency directly connected to illegal drug trade, police said.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation was asked to call Wilshire Narcotics Detective Marla Kiley at 213-473-0250 or e-mail 32556@lapd.online or call the Wilshire Division watch commander at 213-473- 0459.
During weekends and off-hours calls should be made to the 24-hour toll free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7.
Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.
