According to arrest records from the San Diego Polic Department, Esteban Loaiza was arrested on Friday, Feb. 9 with 20 kilos of heroin or cocaine. The 46-year-old Mexican hurler spent parts of three seasons with the Chicago White Sox, but is well known for his itinerant major-league existence.
This is a new one: Esteban Loaiza, drug kingpin.
The second-winningest pitcher from Mexico in MLB history was arrested Friday with 20 kilos of heroin or cocaine, according to San Diego police records. He'll be in court Wednesday to face felony drug charges. Details are in pics. pic.twitter.com/312pf21Q4F
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 12, 2018
Loaiza was recently a guest at SoxFest last month and appears to have been a sizable attraction.
Loaiza was charged with possession and intent to sell by the San Diego authorities. With over 20 kilograms of contraband, Loaiza was carrying just over 44 pounds of the illegal substance(s), an astonishing figure given its street value.
According to a Business Insider article from 2014, one kilogram of cocaine can sell for $10,000 to $20,000 placing Loaiza in possession of somewhere between $200,000 to $400,000 of cocaine. And if Loaiza was transporting heroin that estimation could shoot far higher — in the neighborhood of nearly $2 million.
Loaiza is scheduled to appear in a San Diego court on Wednesday and has been issued a $200,000 bail.