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Man Busted Running Mexican Cocaine Ring Out Of California Day Care

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Steve Birr Vice Reporter
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Police arrested a man operating an unlicensed day care and illicit drug ring out of his home in California May 25 after he sold cocaine to detectives in the presence of kids.

Felipe Talamante, 48, is accused of attempting to sell nearly half a million worth of cocaine out of his home in Highland Park in Los Angeles. He boasted to a confidential informant of the DEA he had roughly $430,000 of cocaine “direct from Mexico” ready for sale. Officers observed kids on his property on numerous occasions and discovered he was also running an unlicensed day care, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Talamante allegedly tried to sell 20 kilos of cocaine to an undercover agent with the DEA May 25.

“The rampant drug activity we allege at this home is a dangerous blight on the community — and especially alarming because little kids are caught up in the middle of it,” Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Imagine if your children were being cared for in the same house where cocaine was being sold. My office will do everything in our power to shut down what we allege is an incredibly toxic combination of illegal drugs and day care.”

While the agent placed the drug order May 25 authorities saw a 2-year-old get picked up from the residence. There were also kids seen playing in the front yard. During a subsequent search of the home, police found cocaine stashed in a room with a child’s mattress. Officers conducting surveillance of the property also witnessed kids playing on the patio during drug deals.

Police arrested Talamante on suspicion of being in possession of cocaine with intent to distribut, and he will be arraigned July 16. The Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney also asked a judge to designate the property a public nuisance, which would allow the state to seize the property from Talamante.

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