“Socalj” for Borderland Beat
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On April 19, 2023, around 4:00 PM, the Riverside County Sheriff’s narcotics investigators from the Special Investigation Bureau conducted an undercover operation in an attempt to identify narcotics traffickers. During the operation, undercover deputies met with a suspect who wanted to purchase 27 kilos of methamphetamine.
“Why would you let someone get in their vehicle, I don’t know,” said Michael Lujan, a retired captain with the Riverside Sheriff’s Department who lost the election against incumbent Sheriff Chad Bianco last year. “It is pretty embarrassing. It’s unfortunate because now we have additional narcotics out on the street.”
Lujan said he heard the sale was made for $35,000. Lujan said that a “reverse-buy” operation usually has guardrails in place to stop suspects from making off with narcotics.
The department creates an “operational package” that details any concerns or difficulties that could occur during the sting, Lujan said. Surrounding area hazards are outlined, and any escape routes are noted. Ideally, sufficient background has been done on the suspect and there is a surveillance plan in place so that other deputies besides those undercover are monitoring the site of the sting.
“The question is, was this operation completed within the guidelines and parameters of the department to maximize a positive result in the investigation?” Lujan said. The department did not say what went wrong that led to the suspect escaping with the drugs.