Tip-off leads to pot bust

Three men are behind bars and face court hearings Friday on possible drug charges thanks to a tip from a postal worker with a suspicious eye, police said Thursday.

Costa Mesa residents Victor Fernandez, 35, Guillermo Vazquez-Sandoval, 29, and Marcos Aguilera-Elorza, 32, were arrested at 6 p.m Wednesday after an investigation led them to the men’s apartment at 2206 Rutgers Drive.

Inside, police found more than 23 pounds of marijuana and $26,000, which police suspect came from drug sales, Sgt. Bryan Glass said. Detectives did not find any weapons inside, Glass said.

Police declined to say how long the men were being investigated, only that a postal worker notified authorities that marijuana seeds were being sent through the mail. Postal workers delayed the delivery until police were able to witness the men signing for the package, Lt. Paul Dondero said.

“The humorous thing is, one of the guys is suspicious or skeptical that the package got held up,” Dondero said. “One of the guys says, ‘Don’t sign for it, don’t sign for it.’ But he signed for it anyway, basically indicating, ‘I am taking this into my possession.’”

Police subsequently searched the apartment and found the drugs, the money and one marijuana plant not fully grown, police said. Growing supplies such as liquid fertilizer were also inside the apartment, Dondero said.

All three men are in custody in Costa Mesa jail and cannot post their $25,000 bails because the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent is detaining them for possible immigration violations.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.