545 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA FOUND, 3 ARRESTED IN STASH-HOUSE RAID

It was a nondescript stucco home in a typical middle-class subdivision
northwest of Tucson. In its garage - a blue Astro van with a ``Bush/Quayle
'92'' bumper sticker.

But, authorities allege, appearances can be deceiving.

Investigators served a search warrant on the home Wednesday afternoon and
seized 545 pounds of marijuana and $109,533 in cash.

``All indications are this was a large-scale stash house,'' said Pima
County sheriff's Sgt. Paul Leonardi, who is assigned to the Metropolitan
Area Narcotics Trafficking and Interdiction Squad.

Investigators also found ledgers that showed thousands of pounds of
marijuana could have moved through the home each week, he said.

Authorities arrested the homeowner, Sergio Alberto Bayliss-Lopez, 26, of
Caborca, Mexico, and two other men - brothers Filiberto Chaidez-Sanchez,
18, and Neker Ivan Chaidez-Sanchez, 21, of Sinaloa, Mexico - on suspicion
of unlawful possession of marijuana for sale.

Each remained jailed last night in lieu of $5,500 bond.

The narcotics investigation was ongoing and started with a tip.

Bayliss-Lopez bought the home in October and apparently lived there by
himself, although detectives found a baby crib and a package of diapers,
Leonardi said.

``It blended in with the neighborhood,'' Leonardi said of the sparsely
furnished home. ``They had a Christmas tree and Christmas lights,'' he
said, describing the Christmas tree as upscale, with fancy ribbon as
garland and crystal balls with gold inlay trim.

``The living quarters were cordoned off so they had an assembly line'' for
packaging, weighing and repackaging marijuana, he said.

He said he wasn't surprised about finding an apparent stash house in a
quiet, middle-class neighborhood. ``We've been in the Foothills - east,
west, north. . . . It's all over town,'' he said.

Residents who suspect there may be a stash house in their neighborhood
should call 88-CRIME or MANTIS at 547-8800.

Visit the Pima County Sheriff's office online. http://biz.rtd.com/pcsd/