The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office arrested 33 suspects in the largest drug bust in the county on Aug. 19, according to a press release.
Officials said around 3:04 a.m. sheriff detectives, patrol deputies, along with allied agencies intercepted a panga boat at the Arroyo Quemada beach that was carrying 3,164 pounds of methamphetamine and originated from Mexico.
The Sheriff’s Office said this is the largest drug seizure in the history of Santa Barbara county.
“Drug cartels, smugglers and illicit narcotic dealers know no international, state or local boundaries,” Sheriff Bill Brown said in the press release. “This successful operation was made possible only through the collaborative investigative and operational efforts of local, state and federal authorities. We will never know how many lives were saved from overdose or addictive misery as a result of this exceptional law enforcement action.”
The Sheriff’s Office said 29 adult males, 1 adult female and 3 juveniles were arrested. All of the 30 adults were transported by jail van to the Main Jail for various charges including conspiracy and transportation of narcotics. The juveniles were released back to their parents.
Their case is set to be prosecuted by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office and pending review from the United States Attorney.
