Two arrested in Waimea cocaine bust 08-01-03

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
HILO VICE SECTION
LIEUTENANT NORMAN N. KEAMO
PHONE: 961-2253
AUGUST 1, 2003
H-58041/SK

MEDIA RELEASE

Two Mexican nationals were charged Friday (August 1, 2003) with first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug after they were caught with a parcel containing cocaine in Waimea, South Kohala.

The suspects were identified as Lazaro Mendoza Cardenas, 42, and Miguel Angel Torres Andres, 36, both of a Waimea address. They are being held in the Hilo police cellblock in lieu of $200,000 bail each.

The two were arrested Thursday after a UPS parcel being shipped from Mexico was intercepted by the U.S. Customs Service in Kentucky. Following a canine alert, customs agents conducted a “border search,” which means no search warrant was required, and recovered about a half pound of cocaine. The parcel was addressed to Lazaro C. Mendoza of a Kipahele Street address in Waimea.

Assisted by agents from the U.S. Customs Service and Immigration and Naturalization Service and by South Kohala community policing officers, Hilo Vice Section officers made a “controlled delivery” to the Kipahele Street address.

After the parcel was opened, the officers executed a search warrant at the address. They arrested the Mexican nationals after the suspects were found next to the opened parcel.

Police said the cocaine had a street value of about $26,000.

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