Law Officials Arrest 4, Find Weapons in Cocaine Bust

More than 2 kilos of cocaine with a street value of more than $44,000 was confiscated Friday as officers from six agencies served search warrants at homes of suspected gang activity in Oceanside and Escondido, authorities said.

Panama Blue, a monthlong operation that involved more than 50 officers, concluded with the arrest of four men believed to be members of an Oceanside gang known as the West Side Crips, Lt. Don Lewis of the Carlsbad Police Department said.

More arrests and charges are pending, he said.

In all, officers served search warrants on five homes--three in Oceanside and two in Escondido--and confiscated weapons that included a sawed-off shotgun and an assault rifle as well as several vehicles believed to have been used to distribute the drugs.

Arrested were Abdiel Antonio Ariza, 21, of the 1300 block of East Grand Avenue in Escondido; Jamie Lemont Spencer, 28, of the 100 block of Festival Drive in Oceanside; Anthony Lee Dunn, 28, and Frederick Dunn of the 600 block of Fredericks Avenue in Oceanside.

Lewis said the investigation, which involved the Carlsbad, Oceanside and Escondido police departments, as well as the Sheriff’s Department and two other agencies, began after authorities received a tip of drug activity at El Camino Real Mall in Carlsbad.

Officials said they were pleased with the results, which they believe put a dent in a growing North County drug distribution ring. “Any time you take that much cocaine off the street, it’s considered significant,� Lewis said.