K-9 Discovery of Secret Compartment Results in Irvine Drug Bust – 2 Mission Viejo Men Detained

IRVINE, CA (March 23, 2009): Two Mission Viejo men have been arrested following the search of their vehicle by Irvine police.

Joshua Slone, 19, of Mission Viejo and Jacob Bahou, 20, also of Mission Viejo, were taken into custody after police found individually packaged quantities of heroin and cocaine hidden in a concealed compartment located in their vehicle’s dashboard.

A specially trained drug sniffing K-9 played a major role in finding the drugs, according to police.

Patrolling officers initially became suspicious of the two suspects when they were spotted sitting in their car just before midnight on Saturday, March 21, while parked at the Park and Ride near Walnut and Jeffrey Road.

The patrol’s investigation turned up drug paraphernalia and drugs in the possession of the two subjects which lead to the drug sniffing K-9 being called in for a more thorough search of the vehicle, according to officials.

“There was a piece (of the dashboard) that could be pulled off,” said Lt. John Hare. “And a compartment behind it they were using to store drugs.”

According to Hare, Slone and Bahou were arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs with the intent to sell. Additional charges may also be brought against the two because of the hidden compartment.

Police estimate the confiscated drugs would fetch about $3,000.00 on the street and weighed in at just over an ounce.