Three arrested in drug investigation

October 21, 2000

WHEELING — Three Wheeling men were arrested Thursday after police seized nearly two kilograms of cocaine with a street value of more than $600,000, police said.  The arrest ended a one-month investigation that began in Mundelein by the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group and the Mundelein and Wheeling police departments.  Arrested were Luis Ocampo, 24, Romano Florez, 34, and Roberto Diaz, 22, all of the 600 block of Wayne Avenue, Wheeling.

Police said the investigation began after Mundelein police received information that Ocampo was dealing cocaine in the Mundelein area.  Undercover agents then began purchasing cocaine from the three men. The investigation ended when Ocampo and Florez delivered one kilogram of cocaine to the agents, police said.  Diaz was arrested after a search of his residence uncovered four ounces of cocaine, two ounces of cannabis and $4,800 in cash.

Police also searched the residence of another suspect in the 800 block of McHenry Avenue where 670 grams of cocaine and $21,000 in cash were seized. Charges for the 670 grams of cocaine are pending further investigation, police said.

According to police, a vehicle owned by Ocampo was also searched and 820 grams of cannabis and 60 grams of cocaine were uncovered.  In all, police said, nearly two kilograms of cocaine with a street value of more than $600,000, more than $26,000 in cash and numerous amounts of drug paraphernalia including electronic scales were seized.  Ocampo was charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and three counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.  Florez was charged with one count each of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.   Diaz was charged with one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.