Opium

A 56-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after police found 10 pounds of opium inside his La Crescenta home, police said. Gevork Hakopian, an alleged opium supplier, was taken into custody about 2:30 p.m. on suspicion of possessing the drug and materials to package it for sale at his home in the 2700 block of Los Olivos Lane, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. The street value of the opium was estimated at between $10,000 and $12,000, he added. Narcotics detectives were conducting surveillance of another home in the 200 block of South Cedar Street after receiving information that the resident, Seroj Heraped, was selling the drugs, Lorenz said.

Gretchen Hoffman NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Glendale Police seized a kilo of opium hidden inside a religious icon mailed to a woman suspected of passing it along to drug dealers. A package with an unusually dense center alerted U.S. Customs officials in New York, who found the opium in a hollowed-out wooden picture of two saints, Glendale Police Det. Craig Tweedy said. The package, which was sent from Bulgaria, was forwarded on to U.S. Customs officials in Los Angeles, who contacted Glendale Police, Tweedy said.

Darleene Barrientos Eight people were arrested on suspicion of opium possession, narcotic sales and distribution after Glendale Police wrapped up a six-month investigation into an alleged large-scale drug operation. Glendale Police's vice/narcotics team investigated the alleged ring for six months, executing 20 search warrants and 10 arrest warrants, one of which was served March 12 at a home in the 3100 block of Charing Cross Place in Chevy Chase Canyon.

Gretchen Hoffman Glendale Police have arrested two people suspected of participating in a large-scale opium ring and are set to serve search warrants on others suspected of distributing the drug in Glendale and surrounding cities. Glendale resident Razmik Minasian, 36, allegedly recruited a Swedish woman to pick up a suitcase containing 11 pounds of heroin from Turkey, Glendale Police said. The woman, Ingela Sjunnesson, returned to Sweden, and Minasian contacted her and told her to bring the suitcases to Glendale.

GLENDALE ? A routine traffic stop Thursday night resulted in the largest single opium seizure in Glendale's 100-year history, police said. Police arrested 35-year-old Ebrahim Kalatehe Thursday night after allegedly finding a box filled with 12 pounds of opium in the back of his Ford Aerostar minivan. "It's a very, very significant seizure," Glendale Police Det. Joe Allen said. Glendale Police Officer Maribel Sumner and her K9, Yudy, stopped Kalatehe, of Glendale, in the 1100 block of Thompson Avenue at about 10 p.m. for a traffic violation, Glendale Police Officer John Balian said.

Eight men, including three Glendale residents, pleaded innocent Wednesday to charges of conspiracy and importing and transporting opium to sell out of their businesses. The men were arrested earlier this month on suspicion of conspiring to import the drug from Afghanistan and Mexico to sell in Glendale. The defendants include Glendale residents Sarhadoun Baitzaya, 46, Alfred Avans DerGregorian, 61, and his son, Alain Avans DerGregorian, 35. Each man was being held Wednesday on bail amounts ranging from $30,000 to $1 million.

Amber Willard GLENDALE -- Glendale Police arrested five men and seized more than five pounds of opium after a surveillance that started in the city, officials said. Police searched two houses Thursday -- one in Tarzana and the other in Van Nuys -- after following a man who allegedly sold opium to a man in Glendale, Investigator Bob Breckenridge said. In the houses and from the occupants, officials seized opium that had a street value of $320,000, Breckenridge said.

Amber Willard SOUTHEAST GLENDALE -- A Glendale man could receive at least five years in prison if convicted on charges that he received a 4-pound package of opium sent from Turkey. Nick Navari, 45, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he had the drugs sent to him and planned to sell them. Navari was arrested Tuesday in the 1500 block of Rockglen Avenue after he arrived at an acquaintance's home to pick up the drugs, Glendale Police said.

Three Glendale men, including a father and son, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in an opium importation and distribution ring that operated throughout Los Angeles County, according to Glendale police officials. The six-month investigation began with tips to the Glendale Police Department by family members concerned over their loved ones' alleged involvement in the operation that trafficked opium from Eurasian countries and Mexico, GPD Chief Randy Adams said Wednesday morning at a press conference.

A Glendale resident and his son, both charged with conspiracy and drug-related charges in an alleged opium smuggling case are scheduled to return to court July 26 for a preliminary hearing. Alfred Avans Der Gregorian, 61, of Glendale, and his son, Alain Avans Der Gregorian, 35, of Glendale, are among six defendants scheduled to appear in court July 26. Two other men charged in the case pleaded guilty this week but will serve no prison time, according to reports.

A 56-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after police found 10 pounds of opium inside his La Crescenta home, police said. Gevork Hakopian, an alleged opium supplier, was taken into custody about 2:30 p.m. on suspicion of possessing the drug and materials to package it for sale at his home in the 2700 block of Los Olivos Lane, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. The street value of the opium was estimated at between $10,000 and $12,000, he added. Narcotics detectives were conducting surveillance of another home in the 200 block of South Cedar Street after receiving information that the resident, Seroj Heraped, was selling the drugs, Lorenz said.

GLENDALE — Four people, including two Glendale residents, were arrested Tuesday night in connection with a drug ring after undercover police discovered that a 32 1/2 -pound shipment of opium stashed in a metal tin was sent to an apartment in the city from Armenia, officials said. Lusine Khachatryan, 27, of Glendale; Razmik Alchian, 37, of Glendale; Edmond Bolandi, 37, of Palmdale; and Ali Nouri, 35, of Reseda, were taken into custody just after 8 p.m. Tuesday and booked at the Glendale Police Department jail on suspicion of sales and transportation of drugs, said Lt. Bruce Fox of the Special Investigations Bureau.

GLENDALE ? A routine traffic stop Thursday night resulted in the largest single opium seizure in Glendale's 100-year history, police said. Police arrested 35-year-old Ebrahim Kalatehe Thursday night after allegedly finding a box filled with 12 pounds of opium in the back of his Ford Aerostar minivan. "It's a very, very significant seizure," Glendale Police Det. Joe Allen said. Glendale Police Officer Maribel Sumner and her K9, Yudy, stopped Kalatehe, of Glendale, in the 1100 block of Thompson Avenue at about 10 p.m. for a traffic violation, Glendale Police Officer John Balian said.

A Glendale resident and his son, both charged with conspiracy and drug-related charges in an alleged opium smuggling case are scheduled to return to court July 26 for a preliminary hearing. Alfred Avans Der Gregorian, 61, of Glendale, and his son, Alain Avans Der Gregorian, 35, of Glendale, are among six defendants scheduled to appear in court July 26. Two other men charged in the case pleaded guilty this week but will serve no prison time, according to reports.

Eight men, including three Glendale residents, pleaded innocent Wednesday to charges of conspiracy and importing and transporting opium to sell out of their businesses. The men were arrested earlier this month on suspicion of conspiring to import the drug from Afghanistan and Mexico to sell in Glendale. The defendants include Glendale residents Sarhadoun Baitzaya, 46, Alfred Avans DerGregorian, 61, and his son, Alain Avans DerGregorian, 35. Each man was being held Wednesday on bail amounts ranging from $30,000 to $1 million.

Three Glendale men, including a father and son, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in an opium importation and distribution ring that operated throughout Los Angeles County, according to Glendale police officials. The six-month investigation began with tips to the Glendale Police Department by family members concerned over their loved ones' alleged involvement in the operation that trafficked opium from Eurasian countries and Mexico, GPD Chief Randy Adams said Wednesday morning at a press conference.

Darleene Barrientos Three Glendale residents and their business associates will face charges Wednesday of importing, transporting and conspiring to sell opium from their businesses after a six-month investigation by Glendale Police. Eight people were charged Tuesday for a range of offenses from possession of opium for sale and transport, to conspiracy to sell opium. The defendants included Glendale residents Alfred Avans Der Gregorian, 61, and his son, Alain Avans Der Gregorian, 35, the alleged ringleaders of the operation.

Darleene Barrientos Eight people were arrested on suspicion of opium possession, narcotic sales and distribution after Glendale Police wrapped up a six-month investigation into an alleged large-scale drug operation. Glendale Police's vice/narcotics team investigated the alleged ring for six months, executing 20 search warrants and 10 arrest warrants, one of which was served March 12 at a home in the 3100 block of Charing Cross Place in Chevy Chase Canyon.

Darleene Barrientos Several local residents were arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Glendale Police Department, which seized more than $1 million worth of raw opium in an alleged international drug production and smuggling ring. The ring, which spanned from growers raising opium in Afghanistan to users buying the end product in Glendale, operated for several years out of a Pacoima car wash, according to John Fernandes, acting special agent in charge of the DEA in Los Angeles.

Gretchen Hoffman Glendale Police have arrested two people suspected of participating in a large-scale opium ring and are set to serve search warrants on others suspected of distributing the drug in Glendale and surrounding cities. Glendale resident Razmik Minasian, 36, allegedly recruited a Swedish woman to pick up a suitcase containing 11 pounds of heroin from Turkey, Glendale Police said. The woman, Ingela Sjunnesson, returned to Sweden, and Minasian contacted her and told her to bring the suitcases to Glendale.