Cleveland.com has gotten a story about El Torito Taqueria Bar & Grille on West 117th Street, and how the owners and otehrs were trafficking cocaine and drugs out of that location and other locations.
From Cleveland.com Cocaine trafficker dealt drugs from Lakewood taqueria, DEA says
"]Angel Rios was arrested Friday, along with Felix Cruz and Jaime Hernandez De La Paz. Federal prosecutors say Rios conducted and organized drug deals from El Torito Taqueria Bar & Grille on West 117th Street"[/b]
Read the story here: https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/02/owner-of-lakewood-taqueria-did-drug-deals-out-of-restaurant-authorities-say.html
People are asking why Lakewood Police didn't bust this up? Well if you read the story it has been under investigation since 2004. Including tapping phones, emails, texts, and undercover agents. I am imagining the FBI begging Lakewood Police to stay away from the location.
Why do I say that? An hour after the shootout on Delaware, a person was watching someone break into a car behind El Torito Taqueria Bar & Grille. They were calling it in from the drive-thru line at KFC. No Lakewood Police responded to the call. Instead they concentrated on a man in a red hoodie that grabbed a tip jar off the counter of an food establishment near Arthur and Madison. and was running through backyards.
When the person cleared El Torito Taqueria Bar & Grille, and was walking south on Highland Avenue, near Aldi's they pounced. At the time I thought they were just too busy, but now as I think back, the last thing the FBI needed was a bust in that parking lot for stealing things out of a car. For all we know it might have been that occurance that caused the FBI to pull the plug and go in.
Good work FBI and Lakewood Police.
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