From Staff Reports

A tip in North Shelby County helped lead to the largest cocaine seizure by the Shelby County Drug Task Force since 2004.

According to the Shelby County Sheriff&8217;s Office, on Friday, May 26, investigators with the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force and Agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized 8.8 pounds of cocaine during the course of a narcotics investigation in northern Shelby County.

Three suspects were arrested at the time of the seizure and one vehicle was seized in connection with these arrests: Jose Alberto Landeverde, age 27, of Elgin, Texas; Francisco Alzaman, Jr., age 26, of Manor, Texas; and Larry Eugene Samuels, age 26, of Birmingham.

The investigation next moved to a second location in Pelham, where another seizure of approximately 1.75 pounds

of cocaine was conducted and two more suspects were arrested.

The Department of Human resources was contacted and responded to take two minor children into custody.

Arrested at this location were:

Esmeralda Jaimez, age 28, of Manor, Texas; and Sandra Vences Jamie, age 23, of Austin, Texas.

Alzaman and Samuels were charged with conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and each has a bond in the amount of $500,000.

Landeverde, Jaimez and Jaime were charged with trafficking in cocaine and each has a bond in the amount of $1 million.

Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry said, &8220;These seizures and the arrests associated with them exemplify the mission of the Drug Task Force.

As a result of this investigation, this cocaine, with a street value of almost $500,000, was prevented from being sold and distributed within Shelby County.&8221;

Commander Ken Burchfield of the Shelby County Drug Task Force said, &8220;This is the largest single seizure of cocaine since the task force was reformed in 2004.&8221;

He said a tip that led to the seizure.

As of press time, all of the suspects arrested were being held in the Shelby County Jail