LAPD SWAT officers arrest Skid Row drug kingpin in Cerritos

CERRITOS, Calif. (KABC) -- SWAT officers with the Los Angeles Police Department arrested 16 narcotics suspects, including a Skid Row drug kingpin, while serving 20 search warrants in Cerritos overnight.

The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted police in executing the early-morning sweep Wednesday.

Derrick Turner, 48, was arrested at his home on Teresa Court in Cerritos around 3:30 a.m., police said. Authorities say Turner's ring supplies cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin on the streets of Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.

The suspect walked out of his home in his pajamas and surrendered to SWAT officers within 15 minutes. His wife, son and daughter were heard crying as they emerged from the home.

Police tell Eyewitness News detectives had been tracking Turner for a while and had information that he was armed with an AK-47 and a scoped rifle.

Authorities had served previous search warrants in connection to this case and seized 13 kilos of cocaine, 22 pounds of methamphetamine, 20 pounds of heroin along with $1.8 million, which included more than $600,000 in one-dollar bills.

The Los Angeles Police Department would not comment on whether any drugs, cash or weapons were seized in Cerritos Wednesday morning.

The investigation is not related to the recent Spice overdoses on Skid Row, police said.