5 Arrests, Multi-agency Narcotics Investigation
5 Arrests, Multi-agency Narcotics Investigation
A narcotics investigation was concluded with multiple arrests in the city of Covina and the execution of a search warrant in Hinkley, CA. As a result of the investigation, approx. 574 lbs of meth, 1,567 lbs. of meth in solution, 3 firearms, and several thousands of dollars in US currency were seized. Units dismantled a large-scale meth conversion lab in a residence in a rural desert neighborhood in Hinkley, CA, which resulted in the arrest of 4 suspects.
On 9/29/26, KCSO, KC High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (KC-HIDTA) was assisted by several deputies from the San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Office-VIPER unit, an agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)- Orange County Office with a search warrant in the 19900 block of Yellowstone Rd in Hinkley, Ca. KC-HIDTA task force lab personnel were also assisted by the San Bernadino County Fire Department-Hazmat unit in processing/ dismantling the clandestine meth conversion lab with regards to the hazards presented with the large quantities of hazardous/unknown chemicals inside the residence.
While KC-HIDTA dismantled the lab throughout the night, the KCSO Special Operations Group (SOG) assisted KC-HIDTA in serving an arrest warrant and additional search warrant at a residence in the 600 block of P St, Bakersfield, which led to the arrest of a 5th suspect identified in this investigation.
Throughout the investigation, Alexander Lopez Garcia, age 27, from Culiacan, Sinaloa-MX, Miguel Angel Vaal, age 37, from Culiacan, Sinaloa-MX, Juan Daniel Castro, age 24, from Culiacan, Sinaloa-MX, Andrea Gamino, age 33, from Santa Maria, CA and Clarisel Guillen, age 21, from Bakersfield, CA were identified to be conspiring to possess meth for the purpose of sales, conspire to manufacture meth for sales, maintain a residence for the purpose of narcotics sales, possess loaded firearms (which two were found to be reported stolen out of Inglewood and Manteca) while in possession of a controlled substance, possession of stolen property and trafficking meth in and around the Central Valley and Southern CA area.
All suspects were booked into KCSO Lerdo Justice Facility pending court proceedings.
