On 09/13/2012 in the late afternoon hours, Mesa Police detectives were conducting surveillance on suspected drug dealers. Information obtained indicated that the suspects, Cruz Alarcon-Lozano and Jorge Gutierez, were using PVC pipes to transport and distribute Heroin around the valley.
Gutierez was seen leaving the 4000 block of East Contessa in Mesa in a vehicle. Detectives began following him and made a stop for a traffic violation. During the stop, detectives were given consent to search the vehicle and located five 5-1/2 foot PVC tubes with capped ends. The content of the tubes was checked and confirmed to be Heroin. At the time of the stop, Gutierez had his 4-month-old daughter in a car seat in the back seat along with the drugs. Gutierez was taken into custody at that time. The mother of the infant responded and took custody of the child.At approximately the same time, a second vehicle was seen leaving the Contessa address. Detectives followed and eventually watched as the driver, Cruz Lozano, stopped in front of a vacant residence and threw a PVC tube into the bushes. The tube was retrieved and the content was confirmed to be Heroin. A traffic stop was made and Lozano was taken into custody. The combined amount of heroin from the two stops was 10.2 pounds.
During a search warrant related to the stops, an additional 4 pounds of Methamphetamine was recovered. The total street value of the drugs was estimated to be $425,000. Gutierez was booked for numerous drug charges and child endangerment. Lozano was booked for drug charges.