EPPD: Men in possession of 38 bricks of cocaine

Police officers with a narcotics task force arrested two men allegedly in possession of 38 “bricks of cocaine.”

Isidro Ramirez, 20; and Fernando Cardona, 18, are both charged with “Manufacture Delivery of Controlled Substance (cocaine) Over 400 grams,” police said.

Criminal complaints obtained by ABC-7 state a police officer in the 9500 block of Socorro noticed the suspects, in a parking lot, loading duffel bags from one vehicle to another vehicle. The suspects allegedly entered a black Toyota, with the duffel bags inside, and left.

The officer, suspicious of the activity, notified other investigators, who then followed the suspects to the area of Chato Villa and Peter Cooper.

Once outside a home on the 12000 block of Chato Villa, investigators approached the suspects and identified themselves as officers. Ramirez, allegedly in possession of one of the duffel bags, threw the duffel bag back inside the vehicle as the officers approached, the court documents state.

When asked who owned the duffel bags, Ramirez allegedly said he did not know who they belonged to. The two suspects gave police permission to search the duffel bags, a court document states.

Police searched the bags and allegedly found the bricks of cocaine. Under interrogation, Ramirez allegedly told investigators he was storing additional bricks of cocaine at his residence. Police were sent to the residence, where they found more cocaine.

Ramirez and Cardona were allegedly in possession of more than 100 pounds of cocaine, police said.

Both men were booked into the El Paso County Jail on bonds of $100,000.