Hide Article Text (OCR)
Drug Smuggling Trial OrderedThirteen persons who escaped prosecution nearly two years ago when they were arrested in connection with smuggling an estimated $5 million of marijuana into Ventura County will now face trial, a sheriff’s official said today.John Wumer, comm ander of the sheriff’s detective division, said the new trial for the 13 persons is expected to begin in early February in Federal District Court in Los Angeles.The 13 persons, all believed to have been members of a sophiscated multimillion dollar marijauana smuggling ring, were arrested on Jan. 17,1976.More than eight tons of marijuana were seized along with a trawler and three cabin cruisers at Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard.The seizure was the largest in West Coast history, according to WumerHe said Federal Court JudgeMaue) Real dismissed the case against all of the defendants two months later stating that the heavily laden boats could have contained “fish or bananas” as easily as thecontraband, and authorities had no reason to search the vessels.After hearing arguments. Judge Real reconsidered the dismissal. However, the judge did not feel that he had the authority to overturn his original opinion, according to Wumer.The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled, with no dissenting opinions, that Judge Real did have the authority and ordered the case returned to him for trial, Wumer said.Wumer said the arrests and seizures of the marijuana resulted after a week-long surveillance of persons believed to be going to Mexico(See Drugs, Page 2)
Newspaper Details
Oxnard Press Courier
Oxnard, California, US
Wed, Dec 28, 1977
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 09 Feb 2023
Other Publications Near Oxnard, California
Oxnard Press Courier
Ventura County Classified Pictorial
Oxnard Ventura County Ad Visor
Oxnard Daily Courier
Oxnard Courier
