LAWRENCE -
The Van Buren County Sheriff's Department Narcotics Unit wrapped up a 3 1/2-month undercover investigation into cocaine sales at a Lawrence bar with three arrests Friday evening.
The target of the probe was the Red Arrow Bar, 106 E. St. Joseph St. in the village of Lawrence.
According to Sheriff Dale Gribler, the arrests included the bar owner's fiancé, Raul Garcia, 60, of South Haven, who also is an employee of the bar, plus two other employees, Mario Muniz, 34, of South Haven and David Jackson, 30 of Lawrence.
Gribler said that during the 3 1/2-month investigation several controlled purchases of cocaine were made from the employees at the bar. During their investigation narcotics officers were led to two additional locations -- an apartment at 116 E. St. Joseph St. in Lawrence and a mobile home at the Port Of Call Trailer Park, 68304 County Road 380 in Geneva Township.
Officers obtained search warrants for those locations and narcotics officers, deputies from the Van Buren County Uniform Response Division and two Van Buren County K-9 units executed the search and arrest warrants at all three locations at 7 p.m. Friday.
Garcia and Muniz were located at the Red Arrow Bar and were taken into custody. Gribler said Garcia was in possession of 3.5 grams of cocaine along with $242 cash.
The search warrant for the apartment at 116 E. St. Joseph St. in Lawrence produced $941 cash.
Documents and records were seized when the search warrant was executed at the mobile home at the Port Of Call Trailer Park near South Haven.
About 30 minutes later, Jackson was located at his residence and was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant.
Garcia was charged with two counts of delivery/manufacture of cocaine while a charge of possession of cocaine is pending, Muniz was charged with two counts of delivery/manufacture of cocaine and Jackson was charged with one count of delivery manufacture of cocaine.
All three were transported to the Van Buren County Jail where they are being held.
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission assisted with the investigation. In January a joint investigation between the Van Buren County Narcotics Unit and the Michigan LCC was conducted at the Red Arrow Bar for illegal drug distribution and LCC violations.
The currency was seized under the Civil Forfeiture Act. Reports will be forwarded to the Van Buren County Prosecutor's office for additional charges.
Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact the Van Buren County Sheriff's Department at (269) 657-3101, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-342-7867 or Silent Observer at (269) 343-2100.
The target of the probe was the Red Arrow Bar, 106 E. St. Joseph St. in the village of Lawrence.
According to Sheriff Dale Gribler, the arrests included the bar owner's fiancé, Raul Garcia, 60, of South Haven, who also is an employee of the bar, plus two other employees, Mario Muniz, 34, of South Haven and David Jackson, 30 of Lawrence.
Gribler said that during the 3 1/2-month investigation several controlled purchases of cocaine were made from the employees at the bar. During their investigation narcotics officers were led to two additional locations -- an apartment at 116 E. St. Joseph St. in Lawrence and a mobile home at the Port Of Call Trailer Park, 68304 County Road 380 in Geneva Township.
Officers obtained search warrants for those locations and narcotics officers, deputies from the Van Buren County Uniform Response Division and two Van Buren County K-9 units executed the search and arrest warrants at all three locations at 7 p.m. Friday.
Garcia and Muniz were located at the Red Arrow Bar and were taken into custody. Gribler said Garcia was in possession of 3.5 grams of cocaine along with $242 cash.
The search warrant for the apartment at 116 E. St. Joseph St. in Lawrence produced $941 cash.
Documents and records were seized when the search warrant was executed at the mobile home at the Port Of Call Trailer Park near South Haven.
About 30 minutes later, Jackson was located at his residence and was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant.
Garcia was charged with two counts of delivery/manufacture of cocaine while a charge of possession of cocaine is pending, Muniz was charged with two counts of delivery/manufacture of cocaine and Jackson was charged with one count of delivery manufacture of cocaine.
All three were transported to the Van Buren County Jail where they are being held.
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission assisted with the investigation. In January a joint investigation between the Van Buren County Narcotics Unit and the Michigan LCC was conducted at the Red Arrow Bar for illegal drug distribution and LCC violations.
The currency was seized under the Civil Forfeiture Act. Reports will be forwarded to the Van Buren County Prosecutor's office for additional charges.
Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact the Van Buren County Sheriff's Department at (269) 657-3101, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-342-7867 or Silent Observer at (269) 343-2100.
