$4,000,000 Man Arrested
Santa Barbara – Under siege by a recent influx of “panga” boat landings on remote county beaches, Santa Barbara County Narcotics Detectives have been working overtime lately simply to haul wrecked vessels and their contraband cargo off the sand and out of public view.
Jesus Garcia-Guzman
The most recent finding was on the beach of a secluded, nearly inaccessible cove just south of Point Conception in the Cojo Ranch area. Long favored as an exclusive surfing spot, this area of coastline is virtually impossible to visit by motor vehicle, a reality apparently unknown to the pilot of the craft found loaded to the gunwales with bales of marijuana on the morning of May 2nd. According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover, a 911 Emergency call alerted authorities to the discovery of the beached boat by Cojo Ranch employees, whereupon “a helicopter search was conducted, followed by a county service helicopter working under the supervision of the Department of Homeland Security” to remove the boat and its contraband. The panga was “transported to Long Beach and booked as evidence,” Hoover reported to the media.
Later that day, SBSD Narcotics Detectives connected the April 30th arrest of Jesus Garcia-Guzman, 19, a Mexican national, on suspicion of burglarizing multiple Hollister Ranch structures with their investigation into maritime smuggling operations, specifically referencing, as Hoover indicated “the boat discovered Thursday (May 2nd)” which contained marijuana with an estimated street value in excess of $4,000,000.
One ton of marijuana
Pursuant to that investigation, Garcia-Guzman was “rebooked” into Santa Barbara County Jail on drug trafficking charges with his bail increased to $100,000.
Photos courtesy of Santa Barbara County Jail Booking, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department
Read more:
CalCoastNews: $4 million in Marijuana found on Central Coast Beach
Santa Maria Times: Discovery of Panga boat, $4 million in Marijuana, Leads to Arrest
Noozhawk: Arrestee Linked to Panga Boat, 2,000 Pounds of Marijuana
