Narcotics Trafficking Investigation Leads to Five Arrests and Major Drug and Weapons Seizure
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Officer with the San Francisco Police Department arrested five individuals on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, following an ongoing narcotics trafficking investigation into the transportation and sale of illicit drugs in the City and County of San Francisco.
During surveillance, investigators tracked a suspect vehicle entering San Francisco. Using a Drone as First Responder (DFR), a drone operator observed five individuals exit the vehicle near 2nd and Mission streets and board a Muni bus. SFPD officers subsequently boarded the bus, detained all five subjects, and located narcotics along with evidence linked to drug sales during a search.
Following the initial arrests, members of the SFPD Narcotics Unit, the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center (DMACC), the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, and SFPD K-9 units executed search warrants at four Oakland residences connected to the suspects. Investigators seized over eight pounds of narcotics, two handguns, one rifle, one shotgun, body armor, ammunition, digital scales, packaging equipment, money counters, and over $10,000 in cash.
The five suspects—all residents of Oakland—were identified as Wilmer Mendez-Raudales, 19; Francisco Cruz, 26; Eduardo Linares, 33; Nestor Quinonez-Cubas, 21; and Nestor Reyes-Palma, 22. Officers noted that one suspect is a convicted felon, while two have open court cases in San Francisco. All five were booked into the San Francisco County Jail.
“Keeping dangerous drugs from coming to San Francisco has been SFPD’s top priority,” stated Police Chief Derrick Lew, adding that the department will continue working with law enforcement partners to enforce the law and make arrests.
Since DMACC’s inception in 2023, SFPD officers have seized over 1,307 pounds of narcotics and made 15,823 arrests, including 2,729 drug dealers. In October 2025, enforcement operations were expanded in areas such as the Tenderloin, South of Market, and Mission neighborhoods.
