California Authorities Seize $1.2 Million in Fentanyl Tablets Hidden in Vehicle During Traffic Stop in Merced County

This month, California officials confiscated over $1.7 million in fentanyl after two traffic stops, one of which had the illegal substance concealed in raw meat.

The first stop happened Oct. 3 on Interstate 5 in Fresno County, where the California Highway Patrol discovered 11 pounds of fentanyl worth around $500,000. The substance was discovered in many packages of raw carne asada meat stored in a cooler, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.

According to a news statement from the governor’s office, officers detained the Washington suspect and placed him in the Fresno County Jail. The next day, patrol officers recovered approximately 120,000 fentanyl-laced tablets valued at $1.2 million during a Merced County traffic stop on Interstate 5, according to the governor’s office. Officers also discovered two firearms and arrested two Washington residents on various felony charges.

“Throughout the state, California continues to work hard to keep harmful and illicit drugs off the streets. “I am proud of our CHP officers’ efforts to keep our community safe and hold drug peddlers accountable,” Newsom stated in the news release.

The governor’s administration asserts that since June, California has been able to crack down on fentanyl trafficking by adding around 250 additional service members at state entry ports.