Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced Aug. 14 two brothers from Allentown were arrested as leadership of a large-scale drug operation.

Jefran Canales-Tapia, 40, and Jeffrey Canales-Tapia, 37, were arrested at their respective homes when warrants were served that morning. Recovered were 9 kilos of cocaine, with an estimated street value in excess of $500,000, and a large amount of cash and one-half pound of marijuana.

Jefran Canales-Tapia is charged with possession with intent to deliver (cocaine); criminal conspiracy to possession with intent to deliver (cocaine) and simple possession of cocaine.

Jeffrey Canales-Tapia is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver (cocaine and marijuana); criminal conspiracy to possession with intent to deliver (cocaine); two counts of simple possession (cocaine and marijuana) and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

This investigation included the cooperative efforts of officers from both the Allentown Police Vice Unit and the Lehigh County Drug Task Force and was supported with funding from the Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiative.