Alleged Oxnard kingpin accused of supplying drugs in Santa Barbara arrested

On Monday, narcotics detectives with the Santa Barbara Police Department seized 1.4 lbs of tar heroin with a street value of $60,000 dollars and $55,810 dollars in cash from a multi-county illicit drugs sales operation.

Oxnard resident Salvador Cortes Duran, 54, was arrested following a weeks-long investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Santa Barbara police said Duran was the heroin source for various mid-level suppliers in the City of Santa Barbara and was using a “drug runner” to assist with his heroin sales operation.

Approximately 40 law enforcement personnel executed search warrants at four different locations in the Oxnard area. Duran was located, arrested, and evidence from Duran’s alleged regional sales operation was recovered. In a statement, police said the evidence includes “A hefty amount of heroin cash, retail packaging for sales and several scales.”

Duran was booked into Ventura County Jail on the following charges:

Committing a felony while currently out on bail Possession of heroin Sales of heroin and child endangerment

Duran’s bail is set at $1,000,000 dollars.