4 Men Charged With Conspiracy to Buy Cocaine
- Share via
ARLETA — Four men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to buy drugs Thursday after they showed up at a shopping center to buy $100,000 worth of cocaine from undercover sheriff’s narcotic detectives, authorities said.
The four men were identified as Richard Uriarte, 20, of Panorama City; Jose Martinez, 24, of Van Nuys; Avihay Atais, 23, of North Hollywood, and Mario Beltran, 20, of Sherman Oaks, said Deputy Bob Killeen, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
About three weeks ago, investigators got a tip that the men wanted to buy a large quantity of cocaine, authorities said. The undercover detectives arranged to meet the men at the center in the 9700 block of Woodman Avenue where the men were to purchase 13 pounds of the drug, Killeen said.
The men were arrested when they showed up to the 10:30 a.m. meeting with a large quantity of money, Killeen said.
He said the money had not been counted.
The men were booked at Men’s Central Jail on charges of conspiracy to purchase cocaine, he said.
They were being held in lieu of $5-million bail each.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.