Brown Announces Weekend Seizure of Black Tar Heroin Worth $10 Million

Monday, April 6, 2009
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

Anaheim, Calif. – Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that agents from the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement on Saturday arrested a Mexican national, Gerardo Medina Hernandez, and seized 95 pounds of black tar heroin from his sports utility vehicle.

“The suspect stashed 95 pounds of black tar heroin in the wheel well of his SUV,” Attorney General Brown said. “It is estimated that this heroin would sell for more than $10 million on the street, making it the largest seizure in Bureau history.”

Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement agents were assisted in this investigation by the Los Angeles Intra-agency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (L.A. IMPACT) and the Inglewood Police Department.

Hernandez, 25, is a native of Mexico, but has a green card and lives in Anaheim. He has no known prior criminal record in California.

As part the investigation, agents obtained a search warrant for Hernandez’s vehicle and residence, which is located in the 1700 block of W. Lincoln Ave. in Anaheim.

During the search, agents found Hernandez unloading the heroin from two compartments built into the front wheel wells of the vehicle (a 2005 Volkswagen SUV) and putting it into a cooler in his garage.

The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement determined the wholesale value of the heroin to be $1.3 million. The established street value of the heroin is in excess of $10 million.

Hernandez was arrested and booked into the Los Angeles County Jail for possession of heroin for sale. Bail was set at $2 million.

Located in the Attorney General’s office, the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement is the oldest narcotic enforcement bureau in the United States.

Questions regarding this investigation can be directed to Senior Special Agent in Charge Orlando Lopez at (909) 208-9062. Photographs of the seizure are attached.

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