LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – A multi-agency investigation led to the arrest of three Mexican nationals for dealing drugs and weapons in Acadiana.
According to Lafayette Parish Sheriff Mark Garber, three apartments at the Ille De Cannes Apartments were raided. The apartments were linked to the three arrested. A significant amount of drugs, guns and cash were found, as well as homemade suppressors for the weapons.
Daniel Paz-Ibara, Antanasio Rivera Alvarado and Florentio Arraga were arrested. The three men were also in the United States illegally.
“All three of these are Mexican nationals, all three are here illegally,” Garber said. “They have no right to be lawfully present in the United States. They are living in our community, they were dealing drugs and they were dealing guns. We seized a large amount of narcotics, 650 MDMA tablets, 130 grams of marijuana and 57 grams of cocaine. What’s more significant, in this case we seized 50 firearms.”
Several of the guns recovered in the search were reported stolen from the Lafayette area.
With the three suspects having criminal records dating as far back as 1999, and intent to distribute the drugs and weapons around Acadiana, Garber says these arrests are a major step forward in stopping the circulation of drugs and weapons in the area and could lead to more arrests in the future.
“Who knows where they were heading, but this is a very significant step that was taken by this multi-agency investigation to take illegal guns off the street and to stop the flow of weapons into the hands of people who are doing violence in our communities,” Garber said.
And with the investigation still ongoing Sheriff Garber says the work of the Sheriff’s narcotics and Swat divisions as well as the Department of Homeland Security is far from over as they continue the fight against illegal drugs in Acadiana.