Drug raid on reservation nets 13 arrests, 11 thousand plants

Thirteen people were arrested and more than 11,000 marijuana plants were seized during raids on two properties on the Cahuilla Indian Reservation, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department reported Friday.

Two search warrants were served Thursday morning at the properties in the 39400 block of Cary Road and the 49900 block of Puckit Drive, said sheriff’s Lt. Paul Bennett.

In addition to the marijuana plants, deputies also recovered a stolen assault rifle, a .45-caliber handgun and Ecstasy pills that were allegedly possessed for sales, Bennett said.

The properties were raided after the growing plants were spotted from the air by a sheriff’s helicopter pilot, Bennett said.

Booked into the Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of felony commercial marijuana cultivation were:

–Ruth Whipple, 53, of the Cahuilla Indian Reservation;
–Christine Salgado, 50, of the Cahuilla Indian Reservation;
–Michael Ramirez, 26, of the Cahuilla Indian Reservation;
–Franco Barreto Salgado, 38, of Perris;
–Antonio Nieto-Valasquez, 26, of Romoland;
–Elias Guadalupe Villa-Padilla, 25, of Winton;
–Jose Luis Luviano Zarragosa, 29, of Vancouver, Washington;
–Rigoberto Moreno-Ambriz, 30, of Orange Cove;
–Elizar Ruiz, 20, of Anza;
–Amondo Moreno, 22, of Anza;
–Santiago Flores, 36, of Anza;
–Antonio Vega Jr., 42, of Rio Dell (who is also suspected of possessing the stolen assault rifle); and
–Alexander Almazan Harrison, 27, of Anza (who is also suspected of possessing Ecstasy for sales).