Police make large drug bust

Two suspects are in Madera County Jail awaiting their preliminary hearings after they were arrested in the middle of what police say was a drug deal.

According to Madera Police Sgt. Josiah Arnold, the arrest came on the afternoon of April 26 as officers from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) were serving a search warrant on 1431 Paseo Del Mar Parkway.

The warrant was issued by Madera County Judge Ernest LiCalsi. During the execution of the warrant, SIU reportedly found suspect Martin Tapia, 22, buying cocaine from Evelyn Hernandez, 29.

“She had just shy of an ounce of cocaine in her car,” Arnold said. “It was pretty clear to us that she was there delivering more drugs.”

Inside the house, Arnold stated, officers found more than 12 grams of cocaine on a scale for sale. At the station, Hernandez reportedly confessed to selling drugs.

After the arrest, Arnold said, SIU went to Hernandez’s home in the 700 block of Santa Bonita Street, where they found more cocaine, along with more than a pound of methamphetamine.

Tapia and Hernandez have both been booked on possession charges with the intent to sell. Tapia faces further charges for his alleged involvement in a street gang.

“The community takes very seriously the safety of the neighborhoods, the cleanness of the neighborhoods and the beauty of the neighborhoods, and all those things are negatively effected by drug users,” Arnold said. “And we don’t have any tolerance for drug dealers.”