Los Angeles: On Wednesday afternoon, patrol officers and officers from the Narcotics Enforcement Detail assigned to Mission Area, through good police work and investigative skills, arrested five narcotics suspects and seized a total of 282 pounds of narcotics, having a street value of over 10 million dollars.

On August 17, 2005, at about 4:15 p.m., Mission Area patrol officers responded to a radio call of a man disturbing the peace in the area of 15700 block of Devonshire Street.

The officers spoke with a witness and learned that the suspect had been involved in a road rage incident.  The officers saw the suspect run inside a townhouse on Devonshire Street.  The officers followed the suspect to the townhouse, passing a car that matched the vehicle described in the radio call.  The officers saw a shotgun and a large plastic container containing what appeared to be crystallized methamphetamine in the suspect’s car.  As additional Mission Area personnel arrived, the suspect and another man exited the location and were detained for questioning.

Based on information that developed from the investigation, a search warrant was obtained for the townhouse, as well as two additional locations, one in the 17000 block of Roscoe Boulevard and one in the 25000 block of The Old Road in Stevenson Ranch. 

A total of 125 kilograms of cocaine, 12 ½ pounds of methamphetamine, a small quantity of marijuana and a loaded shotgun were recovered.  Five people were arrested including the initial suspect, 51-year-old Christian Samana.  Also taken into custody, Samila Suapaia, a male Samoan, age 32; Kristian Samana, a male Samoan, age 46, and Glorious Samana, a female Samoan, age 20, were all arrested for Conspiracy to Possess Controlled Substance for Sale.  Michelle Lapoint, a female Caucasian, age 37 was booked for Possession of Methamphetamine.

Mission Area Narcotic Enforcement Detail detectives are continuing the investigation.  Anyone with information is asked to call Detective M. Selleh at Mission Area at 818-838-9800.  On weekends and during off-hours, call the 24-hour toll free number at the Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAWFULL (1-877-529-3855).