4 Charged in Cocaine Sales to Hawaii

Four men, two from Torrance and the others from Hawaii, were in custody Friday after having been charged with allegedly operating a narcotics ring in which they shipped cocaine from the South Bay to Hawaii in coffee cans.

Arrested Wednesday and charged with possession for sale of cocaine and conspiracy to transport two kilograms of the drug were Gilbert Frasquillo, 32, and Reggie Judd, 31, both of Torrance; Samuel Kalahiki, 33, of Kailua, Hawaii, and Joseph Makahilahila, 34, of Honolulu, Deputy Dist. Atty. Martin Oghigian said.

Frasquillo is being held on $500,000 bond at Los Angeles County Jail pending arraignment Wednesday, authorities said. The other three pleaded not guilty Thursday in South Bay Municipal Court and are being held on bond pending a preliminary hearing Nov. 27, Deputy Dist. Atty. Frank Duarte said.

Authorities said the four were arrested by Redondo Beach police after a two-month undercover operation in which they allegedly packed cocaine in coffee cans at their Torrance homes and shipped it by United Parcel Service to Hawaii for sale. Coffee grounds were packed around the plastic-wrapped cocaine to disguise the smell, Oghigian said.

The four were arrested after allegedly selling the two kilos, worth about $24,000 each, to undercover officers. A search of their homes turned up about $50,000 cash and machinery to seal coffee cans, authorities said.