COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Authorities say five people arrested in Columbus allegedly have connections to a heroin cartel out of Mexico.

Three of the five charged with felony drug trafficking are in the country illegally. All of them are being held on multiple-million dollar bonds.

“These individuals have access to a high amount of money. The total seizure that we had was approximately 18 kilos of heroin estimated at a street value of $1.5 million,” an undercover detective explained to a Franklin County Municipal Court judge during the five defendants’ arraignments.

All five defendants waived their right to appear and even though the state protested, the judge granted their public defender the motion.

The five as listed as Jose A. Gouea-Jimenez, 47, who authorities are calling the ringleader; Ellery Cardenas, 42, Jose Millan, 26, Jose Sanchez, 32, and Jennifer Guy, 32. Jimenez is being held on $4 million bond, the other four on $2 million bonds.

Authorities said Sanchez was in possession of 10 of the firearms and a quantity of marijuana.

“While they were being interviewed, Jimenez, Millan and Cardenas indicated they were planning on leaving Columbus and going back to Mexico,” the detective told the judge.

Authorities say Jimenez allegedly admitted to detectives he distributed heroin to the others, Guy allegedly admitted to receiving heroin at her apartment where detectives got a search warrant. All the individuals had access to the firearms. Guy lives just off Olentangy River Road in the Deacon Circle apartments. Millan is living off Hilliard Rome Rd. in the Brookview apartments. Both residents were inspected using search warrants.

All of the defendants are due back in court on December 9 at 9 a.m.