Sheriff's deputies arrested three individuals in connection with an illegal marijuana grow operation after conducting search warrants at multiple West Valley locations.

Ramon Frausto

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests of 57-year-old Ramon Lopez-Frausto, 26-year-old Luis Alberto Aguilar-Amarillas and 24-year-old Alexis Maldonado-Rodriguez for their alleged involvement.

Maricopa County Drug Suppression Task Force and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area detectives were at the front of the investigation, which ended in the Feb. 1 arrests.

The detectives served search warrants for what was believed to be an illegal marijuana grow operation at the following locations:

6700 block of North 183rd Avenue, Waddell

4300 block of South 375th Avenue, Tonopah

8900 block of South 342nd Avenue, Tonopah

Alexis Maldonado-Rodriguez

The search found more than 1,400 marijuana plants, 18 pounds of marijuana, guns, ammunition and grow equipment. The estimated street value is $3.5 million.

All three suspects were booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail for charges including possession of marijuana for sale, and producing marijuana.

In addition to MCSO, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Buckeye and Phoenix police departments contributed to the investigation.