Deputies Arrest 3 in Cocaine Sting

Three Santa Paula residents are being held at the Ventura County Jail on suspicion of sale and possession of cocaine.

The three were found with cocaine and more than $4,000 in cash when they were arrested late Tuesday night, officials said. For two weeks, Ventura County sheriff’s deputies have been monitoring the home of Maria Luisa Barajas, 35, and Jesus Alvarez, 42, along the 700 block of Encino Place. Detectives obtained a search warrant after noticing unusually busy vehicle and pedestrian traffic at the house.

Detectives pulled over Alvarez and Hector Gonzalez Lopez, 39, and a search of the car produced 21 small packages of cocaine valued at $800 and more than $3,000 in cash, authorities said. Officials then searched the home, where packaging materials, money and other evidence were seized, they said.

Alvarez, Barajas and Lopez are being held at the jail in lieu of $20,000 bail each.