Drug bust nets 16 arrests

Gwinnett Police have arrested 16 people and seized illegal drugs with a street value of $2.5 million in an ongoing investigation that was sparked by three heroin overdose deaths in October.

Detectives suspected the heroin involved in the deaths came from one dealer and launched an undercover investigation to identify him, Cpl. Jake Smith of Gwinnett police said Thursday.

“Detectives discovered they were dealing with a drug trafficking organization,” Smith said. “The scope of the investigation was expanded and new leads were discovered ... and were largely resolved in February.” Illicit drugs netted included approximately:

■ 5,900 grams of heroin, or 210 ounces.

■ 530 grams of cocaine, or 19 ounces.

■ 480 grams of marijuana, or 17 ounces.

■ 230 grams of methamphetamine, or 8 ounces.

So far, 16 people have been arrested. They are:

Arturo Cruz-Reyes, 39; Angel Matos-Bautista, 24; Pedro Almazan-Diaz, 32; Alejandro Palomares-Alvarado, 34; Lee Nixon, 25; Ranferi Vega Morales, 40; Francisco Vargas-Rojo, 33; Pedro Crisantos-Lemus, 33; Daniel Perez-Arrellin, 49; Carolina Ciru Jimenez, 37; Carlos Gabriel Benites-Monseratte, 36; Luis Colon-Ortiz, 51; Darim DiazJimenez, 22; Ismael Lewis, 37; Carlos Armando Ramirez, 30; and Ambrogio Guerrero-Perez, 39.