Authorities say a quiet house in Montgomery County was actually supplying huge amounts of cocaine throughout the region. 

Wednesday morning, police in five counties rounded up nearly two dozen suspects, and are still looking for two more.

Among the items seized from suspects was a shrine to Jesus Malverde, known in drug trafficking circles as "the Narco Saint."

"These drug traffickers pray to Jesus Malverde for protection from law enforcement," said Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.  "I'm glad to say it did not work this time."

That "shrine" was part of a huge stash of guns and drugs police recovered.

"We have cocaine valued at over 200 thousand dollars," said Vetri Ferman.  "We have 53 cellular telephones.  We have prescription pills.  We have 92 pounds of marijuana."

According to authorities, Jose Mauricio Rodriguez-Cordero and his girlfriend, Dayana Hernandez-Mendoza, were at the center of the investigation.  They're charged with using an unassuming house in Norristown, Montgomery Co., as the base of a major cocaine operation throughout Southeast Pennsylvania.

"This target was, as we learned, a major drug trafficker," said Vetri Ferman.

 According to arrest papers, a confidential informant led cops to Rodriguez-Cordero, who prosecutors said is a Costa Rican citizen in this country illegally.  Phone wiretaps led to a stream of other suspects: customers, as well as even bigger suppliers.

"He had a very diverse customer base," said Vetri Ferman.  "It was white, it was black, it was Hispanic."

Two of those alleged customers, John and James Gambone, come from a prominent construction family.  When an undercover agent allegedly sold Cordero a kilo of coke, authorities say the Gambones supplied the $27,000 to pay for it.

"They provided the cash for the purpose of cocaine," said Vetri Ferman.

Prosecutors said there may be more than drugs at stake here.  Vetri Ferman said authorities are looking at whether the group is connected to the July murder of Jesus "Jesse" Medrano in Norristown.

"We certainly have reason to believe that there could be information through this group that might be lead to the resolution of that investigation," she said.

Court papers said the Gambone brothers actually led detectives to another major drug operation; this one was allegedly selling marijuana out of a King of Prussia hotel room.  Two people from upstate New York are now charged in that case, accused of smuggling the drugs in from Canada.

Twenty-two suspects were arraigned in Norristown Wednesay afternoon.  Rodriguez-Cordero's bail was set at $500,000. 

All 22 suspects have a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 2, but the judge indicated that would likely be postponed.