Crime & Safety
Santa Cruz Police Bust Up Gangs Selling Drugs in Beach Flats
Police "disrupted" drug sellers in the area's most visible crime area. Hundreds of thousands of tourists pass through Beach Flats on their way to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Santa Cruz Police spent three months putting pressure on drug sellers in the city's Beach Flats area, the neighborhood that is a gateway to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
A joint effort with the Santa Cruz Police Department, the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office, the Santa Cruz Anti-Crime Team and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration led to arrests of seven high profile drug dealers, four of whom were in the Sureño gang.
Police used undercover drug buys, surveillance and informants for the sweep.Â
Arrested were:Â
 Juan Armando Silva – 26 yrs, Santa Cruz residentÂ
Drug SalesÂ
Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Sureno gang memberÂ
Manuel Huerta Silva – 27 yrs, Santa Cruz residentÂ
Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Drug Sales, Drug PossessionÂ
Sureno gang memberÂ
Andrew Villa – 18 yrs, Santa Cruz residentÂ
Drug SalesÂ
Sureno gang memberÂ
Jeremy Ochoa – 32 yrs, Aptos ResidentÂ
Drug SalesÂ
Rene Perez Mendoza – 31 yrs, Santa Cruz ResidentÂ
Drug SalesÂ
Edward Lujan – 43 yrs, Santa Cruz ResidentÂ
Drug Possession with Intent to Distribute, Firearms PossessionÂ
Additionally, an unnamed 17 year old juvenile, confirmed Sureno gang member on drug sales charges.Â
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
