Police arrest 3 in drug bust

Two Santa Ana men will appear in court Monday after they, along with one Santa Ana woman, were arrested Wednesday by Costa Mesa Police in Santa Ana on drug charges.

The arrests occurred as part of a month-long investigation by Costa Mesa narcotics detectives after receiving an anonymous tip, said Costa Mesa narcotics Sgt. Paul Dondero. Just before 8:30 p.m., Costa Mesa detectives served a search warrant at the house where Alba Ruano Ramirez, 39, and Amos Gregory Norman, 37, reportedly live in the 2900 block of South Baker Street, between Bristol and Flower streets in Santa Ana, Costa Mesa Police Sgt. Marty Carver said. Detectives then observed the two people driving in a car and allegedly engaging in a drug deal, Carver said.

With the help of Santa Ana Police officers, Costa Mesa police arrested the pair in the 600 block of East 1st Street in Santa Ana on suspicion of felony transportation and sale of narcotics, Carver said. Upon searching the car, police found more than an ounce of crystal methamphetamine, an ounce of rock cocaine and more than a half an ounce of cocaine hydrochloride, a liquid form of the drug, Carver said.

They also arrested Jose Napoleon Gomez-Caceres, 23, who was allegedly making a purchase, Carver said. When officers approached the three, Gomez-Caceres reportedly ran into a local business and tried to flush the bindle of drugs he had obtained down a toilet, Dondero said.

Surveillance of the alleged sellers revealed they were regularly selling drugs throughout North Costa Mesa and Santa Ana, Dondero said.

“These individuals … were extremely active through our observations, meeting with numerous customers,” Dondero said. “They had regular locations they’d be at and regular customers we would see at those specific locations, and we were able to develop an understanding to anticipate some of their actions.”

Gomez-Caceres, who Dondero said was one of the “regular customers,” is being held at the Theo Lacy Facility on $20,000 bail. Norman is ineligible for bail and is being held in Men’s Central Jail, according to the Orange County Sheriff Department’s inmate records. Both men are scheduled to appear in court Monday.

Ramirez reportedly posted bond and was released, according to the Sheriff’s Department. There was no information about her court date.

Dondero said the narcotics division regularly relies on tips the detectives receive from the public. It’s important to pay attention to what’s going on in your neighborhood, he said.