Officials shut down Orange County restaurant they say was a cocaine trafficking operation

Orange County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday the shuttering of PR House, a small Puerto Rican restaurant that long doubled as a cocaine trafficking scheme.

Punctuating a nearly 20-year-long investigation, officials have arrested the restaurant's owner and 17 others associated with the "criminal enterprise."

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the restaurant was also the site of drug sales, shootings, illegal guns, several overdose deaths and a murder.

Among those arrested are owner Rosa María López and Aníbal López, who officials said supplied drugs sold through the restaurant, located at 7343 Lake Underhill Road. Among various others, charges faced by all 18 suspects include racketeering and armed cocaine trafficking, which, if convicted, carries a life sentence.

Investigators estimate PR House was selling cocaine to up to 80 people every day. In total, officials seized more than nine kilos of cocaine and 13 firearms from the restaurant.

Ron Stucker, director of the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, said the sheriffs office has received dozens of tips over the years highlighting criminal activity at PR House.

In June, investigators served a search warrant at PR House and seized cocaine, cannabis and firearms. The restaurant had replenished its supply and was selling drugs again by noon the next day, Stucker said.

"They did not sell enough beer and food to keep the lights on. It was a front for drugs," Stucker said. "Our investigation showed probably 60 to 80 people every day would enter the PR House they would be in there two to three minutes … never buy beer or anything … so 60 to 80 people were going in there to buy cocaine."

The restaurant currently sits with a 4.1 star rating on Google reviews, where some customers have expressed concern.

"No food when I was there... but apparently they don't do lunch. Didn't really seem set up for that," one review wrote.

Another: "They sell alot of cocaine in there too taking all addicted check and the also take food stamps."

A response from the owner reads, "This place is under new management and this review is really disturbing. Maybe you want to come in and try us now so you can change your mind."

Others called PR House a "great lil spot," or "My favorite hang out."

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