UPDATE Monday, April 18, 7:15pm | The eldest of three brothers arrested last week after police say a months-long investigation revealed they were using their North Long Beach business as a front for an illegal drug enterprise was arraigned last Friday.
Raul Rodriguez, 26, of Long Beach, appeared in Long Beach Superior Court April 15, where he pleaded not guilty to felony charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the illegal transportation and sale of methamphetamine, authorities said.
His bail was set at $1 million.
Raul Rodriguez is scheduled to next appear in court on April 22 for a preliminary hearing, authorities said.
He was arrested last Wednesday, April 13, along with his brothers, Miguel Rodriguez, 23, and Edgar Rodriguez, 20, and Zoraida Luquin, 26, all of Long Beach, when police served search warrants at five locations in Long Beach, Bellflower and Compton, according to the Long Beach Police Department. The arrests were the culmination of a roughly six-month probe.
L.A. County jail records show that Miguel Rodriguez posted $1 million bail last Thursday and was released from custody that same day.
Edgar Rodriguez was being held on held on $1 million bail, and Luquin, $20,000, as of last Friday, according to the Press-Telegram.
UPDATE Wednesday, April 13,10:01pm | Long Beach police identified Thursday evening the specific narcotic being transported and sold under the guise of a North Long Beach business by three men and a woman, all of Long Beach, who were arrested Wednesday on various drug and other charges.
Long Beach Police Department Sgt. Rico Fernandez told the Post in an e-mail that Raul, Miguel and Edgar Rodriguez, all brothers, and Zoraida Luquin were transporting and selling methamphetamine from a T-shirt shop owned by Raul Rodriguez located in the 800 block of East South Street.
The LBPD took the four into custody Wednesday following a six-month investigation into their illegal activities.
Commonly referred to as “meth,” “crystal meth,” “crank” or “ice” on the street, methamphetamine is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant that can be injected, snorted, smoked or ingested orally, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
According to a fact sheet, long-term methamphetamine abuse and addiction often causes anxiety, insomnia, mood disturbances and violent behavior. Many meth abusers experience psychotic symptoms such as paranoia, hallucinations and delusions that can last for months or years after methamphetamine use has ceased.
The creation of methamphetamine in makeshift “labs,” as well as methamphetamine abuse, is increasing at a significant rate in the United States, according to the same fact sheet. And American society is paying the price — literally.
“A study conducted by the independent Rand Corporation in 2009, based on data from 2005, estimated the economic cost to society of methamphetamine use at between $16.2 million and $48.3 billion,” the fact sheet states.
Wednesday, April 13, 4:45pm | Three Long Beach men, all brothers, and a Long Beach woman were arrested Wednesday during the culmination of a six-month investigation into an illegal narcotics operation masquerading as a T-shirt shop in North Long Beach, police said.
Raul Rodriguez, 26, Miguel Rodriguez, 23, and Edgar Rodriguez, 20, as well as Zoraida Luquin, 26, are charged with various crimes, including transportation and sales of narcotics, receiving stolen property and child endangerment, according to information provided by Long Beach Police Department Sgt. Rico Fernandez.
The four were allegedly selling narcotics from a T-shirt shop owned by Raul Rodriquez located in the 800 block of East South Street.
Fernandez said the investigation began in October 2010, when police were tipped off that the business was being used to move drugs. The extensive probe revealed that not only was Raul Rodriguez involved in the sale and transportation of narcotics, but his two younger brothers were, as well.
Detectives with the LBPD Narcotics Unit, along with the help of officers from the Directed Enforcement Team, Violent Sexual Predator team, K-9 Unit and the Warrant Detail simultaneously served five search warrants Wednesday at three different locations in Long Beach, as well as one in Bellflower and another in Compton, Fernandez said.
As a result, the three Rodriguez brothers and Luquin were taken into custody. Police also seized an unspecified amount of unidentified narcotics, narcotics packaging materials and scales, money and numerous firearms, including a rifle and two shotguns, several of which had been reported stolen, Fernandez said.
The child endangerment charge stems from several children who were found hidden in a bedroom at one of the locations where police served a search warrant. The children, Fernandez said, had access to the firearms.
Anyone with additional information related to this narcotics operation is asked to call the police department’s Narcotics Detail 562-570-7221. Anonymous tips may be also submitted via text or email at www.longbeach.gov/police.