Drug seizure in Indian Hills nets a half-pound of meth; five arrested

Five people were arrested in Indian Hills and a half-pound of methamphetamine seized Friday morning following a weeks-long investigation by police.

Douglas County Sheriff's investigators of the street enforcement team and members of the Tri-Net Narcotics task force searched a home at 902 Peridot Court where they arrested one woman. Four men were arrested at an Indian Hills home improvement store.

According to sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tom Mezzetta, investigators seized a vehicle and $1,200 in cash during the arrest. He said the occupants of the home were preparing to set up counter surveillance to warn them of impending narcotics raids.

Arrested at the home improvement store were:

-- Marco Mendez, 30, on charges of trafficking in methamphetamine and conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act.

-- Chavez Osario, 28, on four counts of trafficking and possession of paraphernalia. His bail was set at $250,500.

-- Coriano Chacon-Hernandez, 32, on two counts of trafficking and one count of conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act.

-- Katarino Vasquez-Esquivel, 27, on two counts of trafficking and one count of conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act.

The woman arrested at the Peridot home was identified as Teresa Castellanos-Padilla, 22. She is being held in lieu of $110,000 bail on a charge of trafficking and for conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act.

Mezzetta said 30 officers from various agencies were involved in the arrests. He said the Douglas County Special Weapons and Tactics team participated in the arrest.

"They've been investigating these folks for a couple of weeks," Mezzetta said.