MacArthur Park under narco power couple’s grip who funneled drugs

Bombshell charges have surfaced against an alleged drug kingpin and her boyfriend, purportedly orchestrating a narcotics operation channeling fentanyl and methamphetamine into MacArthur Park, a crime-ridden area.

Mallaly Moreno-Lopez and her partner, Jackson Tarfur, are accused of controlling several storefronts along Alvarado Street, which borders the park. These shops were allegedly the primary source of illegal drugs for the many addicts who frequent the park daily, according to prosecutors.

Drug Enforcement Agency officers conducted a raid on the couple’s residence in South Los Angeles on Wednesday. This was part of a larger-scale operation resulting in nearly 40 arrests and the seizure of drugs valued at millions of dollars.

Both Moreno-Lopez and Tarfur are facing federal charges for drug possession and distribution, which carry potential sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment.

Investigators reportedly observed the couple delivering narcotics to local businesses for distribution by street-level dealers, according to a criminal complaint.

Bill Essayli, LA’s top federal prosecutor, stated at a press conference in the park, “Moreno-Lopez and her boyfriend, Jackson Tarfur, were delivering drugs by hand to the Alvarado Corridor across from MacArthur Park. They were storing and stashing the drugs at the businesses, as seen across the street.”

The couple is alleged to be affiliated with the 18th Street gang, a violent international criminal organization involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and murder.

According to prosecutors, Moreno-Lopez was born into the gang; both of her parents are active members. Her mother was apprehended in a separate raid in March.

In a bold move observed by investigators, the couple allegedly met an associate at a Food4Less to exchange a brown Nike bag containing nearly 1,000 grams of fentanyl and meth, as stated in the complaint.

Prosecutors noted that Moreno-Lopez was captured on camera unloading eight large paper bags from a foldable black shopping cart, which she pulled from a white Jeep Wrangler, before taking them into a business.

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According to the complaint, businesses in MacArthur Park were subjected to extortion by gangs, including MS-13 and the Crazy Riders, whose members seldom engaged in direct drug dealing themselves.

The environment was so chaotic that an undercover buyer observed a street-level dealer with firearms and numerous drug baggies openly displayed on a set of steps.

On Wednesday, as agents raided Moreno-Lopez and Tarfur’s home, the suspects allegedly attempted to dispose of their supply by flushing fentanyl baggies down the toilet.

In addition, DEA agents executed two other simultaneous raids, including one at a Calabasas mansion, where they seized nearly 40 pounds of fentanyl, equating to 190,000 doses and valued at approximately $10 million. Overall, 25 dealers were targeted in these raids, leading to 39 arrests.