The Elkhart County Interdiction and Covert Enforcement Unit (ICE) is comprised of officers from the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department and the Goshen Police Department  Â“Under Indiana law, all persons arrested for a criminal offense are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law”  *** MEDIA ADVISORY ***                                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOURTH AND FIFTH MEMBERS OF SUSPECTED MEXICAN COCAINE IMPORTATION RING ARRESTED BY ELKHART COUNTY I.C.E. UNIT INTERDICTION OFFICERS MEDIA CONTACT:  Bill Wargo, 296-1888             On July 31st at approximately 7:30pm the Elkhart County I.C.E. unit, assisted by the Indiana State Police (ISP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Goshen Police Department Emergency Response Team (ERT) served two search warrants simultaneously. The Indiana State Police team was utilized to serve a “high risk” “no knock” search warrant at 2507 S. Main St. in the City of Elkhart. Intelligence information indicated the presence of an “Uzi” or similar automatic weapons may be found at that location.   The Goshen Police Department Emergency Response Team was used to serve a second search warrant at 909 Beaver Lane, in the City of Goshen.At 2507 S. Main St. Elkhart the officers seized an INTRATEC 9mm Lugar semi-automatic pistol, approximately 5 grams of suspected powder cocaine, as well as other items associated with the distribution of illegal drugs, such as; digital scales, baggies, ledgers related to suspected drug sales and other items of paraphernalia. At that location officers arrested Ricardo E. Gelista, age 22, of that address. Gelista was arrested for the preliminary charge of two counts of Dealing in Cocaine in excess of 3 grams and one count of Possession of Cocaine in excess of 3 grams with the Intent to Deliver. Each of these charges are Class A felonies which carry prisons sentences of up to 50 years on each count. Gelista informed officers that he was born in Texas and his legal status in this country is under investigation. At 909 Beaver Lane, Goshen the officers arrested Juan Carlos Duarte-Lopez, AKA: Juan Carlos Duarte, David Esteban Mendoza, Efrain Diaz Leon, age 32, of that address. Lopez was arrested for the preliminary charge of three counts of Delivery of Cocaine in excess of 3 grams. Each of those offenses is Class A felonies and each carry a sentence of up to 50 years. Lopez told officers he was born in Mexico and his legal status in this country is under investigation. These arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into the importation of cocaine into Elkhart County and additional arrests are anticipated. “The Elkhart County I.C.E. unit is picking its way through a suspected Elkhart-Goshen cocaine importation and distribution ring by busting two more men allegedly connected to the nefarious organization, bringing the total arrested over the past three days to 5. It is suspected that this underground organization has ties to Mexico.  The Indiana State Police have become a very important asset to our I.C.E. operations and the ISP ERT along with the Goshen Police ERT executed precision entries to facilitate these arrests,” said Prosecutor Curtis T. Hill Jr.  ***