Alleged Heroin Dealer Arrested

An alleged major heroin supplier to Santa Barbara and Ventura county dealers —52-year-old Salvador Cortes Duran, of Oxnard — was arrested Wednesday morning for possession of heroin for sale, transportation of heroin, possession of heroin within a school zone, possession of a loaded gun while in possession of heroin, and intent to sell and transport heroin, according to a press release from the Santa Barbara Police Department.

As stated in the press release, for the past few weeks Police Department narcotics detectives had been investigating Duran’s status as a key heroin supplier to the Santa Barbara and Ventura areas. On Tuesday they had obtained search warrants for Duran’s residences on the 100 block of N. Juanita Avenue, next to an elementary school, and the 2900 block of W. Wooley Road, both in Oxnard.

On Wednesday, Santa Barbara Police Department detectives, as well as detectives from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office and Oxnard Police Department, served the warrants at both residences, where they found 8.9 pounds of heroin worth over $130,000, $96,000 in cash, records indicating the suspect’s involvement in the heroin trade, four handguns — two loaded — and a bulletproof vest. Duran was taken into custody while sitting in his car outside his N. Juanita Avenue residence and was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on the alleged charges with bail set at $500,000.00.