Ventura County deputies seize over 2800 fentanyl-laced pills from alleged drug delivery ring

After a three-month investigation, Ventura County narcotics deputies seized a plethora of drugs from an apparent drug delivery ring.

According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, deputies first learned about the ring in March 2023 after learning about multiple people receiving daily drug deliveries in Thousand Oaks and Ojai. For about three months, investigators tried to identify and track down the suspected members of the ring. 

It was not until May 31, that authorities acted on the intelligence they gathered, serving a search warrant and arresting five suspects in public parking lots spread across San Bernardino County. Deputies also searched the suspect's homes and their suspect stash spot located in a mechanics shop.

The sheriff's office seized 2800 fake prescription pills, 3.5 pounds of heroin, three ounces of methamphetamine, over an ounce of cocaine and seven firearms in the multi-faceted raid. According to deputies, the counterfeit oxycodone pills were laced with fentanyl.

According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, fraudulent prescription Oxycodone pills, such as the ones seized, typically contain .02 to 5.1 milligrams of fentanyl per tablet and a potentially lethal dose of Fentanyl is 2 milligrams. The sheriff's office said the knockoff pills and heroin were enough to kill thousands of people. 

Deputies arrested five men suspected members of the ring, including three delivery drivers and the apparent head of the ring. 

According to the office, 32-year-old Irving Ramon Covarrubias Villa and 22-year-old Esteban Alberto Moran Esparza were in charge of delivery services in western San Bernardino County while 31-year-old Javier Ivan Valadez Cruz drove throughout Ventura County, dropping off drugs to customers. 

Deputies believe the head of the ring was Edgar Antonio Nunez. The sheriff's office said it seized "drug proceeds" from him during the arrest and search of his home. They also arrested 26-year-old Alexander Hernandez at Nunez's home. Deputies claim he was "associated with the narcotics delivery service" but did not describe how he was connected. 

Last month, a Ventura County law enforcement task force arrested members of another apparent drug delivery service ring.