Suspected Drug Ring Masterminds Arrested in MacArthur Park

Authorities have identified a suspected drug queen and her partner as the alleged leaders of a drug operation flooding MacArthur Park with fentanyl and methamphetamine, according to a recent investigation.

Maralie Moreno-Lopez and her boyfriend, Jackson Terfer, reportedly managed multiple storefronts along Alvarado Street adjacent to the park. Prosecutors state they were instrumental in delivering significant amounts of illegal substances to the numerous addicts frequenting the area each day.

A coordinated raid by Drug Enforcement Administration agents on Wednesday targeted the couple’s home in South Los Angeles. This operation resulted in nearly 40 arrests and the seizure of millions of dollars worth of dangerous drugs.

Both Moreno-Lopez and Terfer face federal charges related to drug possession and distribution. If convicted, they could face sentences ranging from 10 years to life in prison.

Investigators alleged that the couple was seen directly supplying drugs to local businesses for distribution via street dealers.

“Moreno-Lopez and Terfer were delivering drugs to locations in the Alvarado Corridor, right here in MacArthur Park,” stated Bill Essairi, L.A.’s lead federal prosecutor, during a press conference at the park. “They would store and hide the drugs in stores across the street.”

They are said to have connections with the violent 18th Street Gang, a notorious criminal group involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and homicide.

Investigators indicated Moreno-Lopez was born into gang culture, with both parents being active within the group. Notably, her mother was arrested in a separate raid back in March.

In a vivid display of their operation, law enforcement observed the couple allegedly handing over a brown Nike bag filled with roughly 1,000 grams of fentanyl and methamphetamine to an employee at Food4Less.

Footage reportedly captured Moreno-Lopez unloading a shopping cart from his Jeep Wrangler, loading it with large bags, and taking them into a store.

The environment around MacArthur Park has been heavily influenced by gangs like MS-13 and the Crazy Riders. It’s noted that members of these gangs often do not partake in the drug trade directly, according to the complaint.

In a striking scene, an undercover investigator encountered a street dealer lounging outdoors, armed and surrounded by bags of drugs.

At the couple’s home, investigators discovered they had attempted to flush bags of fentanyl down the toilet in a desperate attempt to hide the evidence as the DEA conducted multiple simultaneous investigations.

In a separate raid at a residence in Calabasas, agents seized about 40 pounds of fentanyl, equating to around 190,000 doses valued at approximately $10 million. A total of 25 dealers were targeted in these operations, resulting in 39 arrests overall.