Two suspects, 29-year-old Jeffrey VanBeveren and 35-year-old Jamie Hughlett, were arrested last Wednesday, Feb. 17, for possession of narcotics and illegal firearms.

Detectives from the Thousand Oaks Police Department’s Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) seized over 40 firearms and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition during the service of a search warrant at the 1900 block of Rory Lane, Simi Valley, according to the Ventura County Police Department’s media release prepared by the lead detective on the case, Nicole Grover.

The DEU also seized evidence of narcotic sales from the suspects’ residence and vehicle, including roughly 32 grams of fentanyl, 18 grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of heroin, a scale and packaging materials.

“DEU detectives obtained information indicating VanBeveren and Hughlett were in possession of numerous illegal firearms,” states Ventura County PR media release. “During the investigation, detectives were able to identify VanBeveren and Hughlett as stealing firearms from rightful gun owners, obliterating the serial numbers, and then illegally selling them on the street. In addition, DEU detectives learned of VanBeveren’s involvement in narcotic sales in Thousand Oaks.”

VanBeveren and Hughlett were booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility.

VanBeveren was released after posting a $100,000 bail bond on Feb. 20, following charges for felon in possession of firearms, possession of controlled substances for sales, transportation of controlled substances for sale, felon in possession of ammunition, obliterating firearm serial numbers, and offering to sell firearms with obliterated serial numbers.

Hughlett’s bail is set at $60,000 following charges for felon in possession of firearms, felon in possession of ammunition, obliterating firearm serial numbers, offering to sell firearms with obliterated serial numbers, resisting arrest and an outstanding felony warrant.

Both are prohibited from owning, purchasing, receiving, or having in their possession or control any firearm or ammunition due to their felony convictions and their addictions to illegal controlled substances, according to the media release.

Captain Don Aguilar of the Thousand Oaks Police Department, who oversees the DEU, commented on the investigation which the DEU has been working on since January.

“On this case, we have the assistance of other resources, such as the sheriff’s k-9 and the Moorpark Special Enforcement Detail, who assisted on this case too because we have quite a bit of guns that we seized in this particular case,” said Aguilar.

“These kinds of cases are kind of unique; however, our Directed Enforcement Unit, probably in the past year and a half, has probably taken off over probably 120 firearms off the street based on cases involving firearms, stolen firearms, sales of drugs, possession of drugs and those kinds of things,” added Aguilar.

Aguilar also commented on the impact arrests like this have on the community.

“If you really look at it, in the last year we’ve taken off at least 120 guns off the street. How safe that really makes our communities- and not just in Thousand Oaks, but Ventura County, our neighboring communities of Simi Valley, Los Angeles, Lost Hills, the City of Moorpark and Camarillo. So it really does have an impact on making our community safer as far as reducing drug sales and taking guns off the street,” explained Aguilar.

Hughlett and VanBeveren are both appeared in court on March 2, according to online court records.