Police seize guns, drugs

Lolita Harper

Detectives posing as gang members Friday seized more than $80,000

worth of black market firearms and illegal drugs from three suspects

they had been dealing with during a two-month investigation, police

said.

Agustin Perez Razo, 26 of Sacramento, Roberto Rodriguez, 31 of

Santa Ana and Miguel Garay, 28 of Monrovia were arrested Thursday

outside of Kmart in Costa Mesa -- where the deal was planned to go

down -- on suspicion of a slew of charges, Costa Mesa Police Lt. John

FitzPatrick said.

The men, who are suspected of possessing materials intended to

manufacture methamphetamine, selling unregistered firearms, machine

guns, assault weapons and marijuana, led officials to a virtual

arsenal in an undisclosed Santa Ana residence.

Some of the firearms gathered by police were an AK-47 assault

weapon, a MAC 11 fully automatic machine pistol -- both of which had

the serial numbers filed off -- and several handguns.

“These were gang members selling guns to other gang members,”

FitzPatrick said.

Detectives first were exposed to Razo, Rodriguez and Garay after

following up on a drug lead, FitzPatrick said.

“Razo told one of our undercovers he could buy him any type of

guns he wanted,” FitzPatrick said, including machine guns, assault

weapons and guns equipped with silencers.

Costa Mesa police immediately contacted the bureau of Alcohol,

Tobacco and Firearms. Federal agents were on the scene Friday when

the search was conducted, said Latese Baker, the bureau’s public

information officer.

“These partnerships are extremely important for us because we

provide federal resources to local and state law enforcement, which

makes available all the tools and all the resources to make the

greatest impact,” Baker said.

Over the course of the two-month investigation, Costa Mesa

detectives bought a total of nine guns from the suspects, several of

which were delivered fully loaded, police said. Officers then set up

the meeting on Thursday, where other officers were waiting to bust

the men, who allegedly delivered six ounces of methamphetamine and a

pound of marijuana as well.

Razo, Rodriguez and Garay are suspected Santa Ana gang members,

FitzPatrick said, and were allegedly selling to other Santa Ana gang

members. While the firearms cannot be directly traced to any Costa

Mesa gangs, shootings are always a serious issue, especially in light

of the three -- one fatal -- that have occurred in the past six

months, he said.

“The amount of guns that are on the street are definitely

increasing,” FitzPatrick said. “Our officers are making an active

effort to keep those guns off of our streets.”

FitzPatrick did not disclose which gang the men are suspected to

be tied to but said the illegal affiliations do not end there.

The three men must have “connections in the black market to be

selling weapons of this sort or have burglarized a gun store and are

trying to get rid of the weapons they had stolen,” FitzPatrick said.

Being able to team up with Costa Mesa officers makes it easier for

the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to accomplish its mission

to track down the sale of firearms and follow up on every lead, Baker

said.

“We have a much greater impact when agencies work together,” Baker

said.

* LOLITA HARPER is the community forum editor. She also writes

columns Wednesdays and Fridays. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275

or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.