CHP seizes $1.7 million in fentanyl, arrests three in Central Valley drug busts

Authorities in California have continued to highlight the persistent efforts of criminals to distribute fentanyl. This week, significant seizures occurred on Interstate 5 in the Central Valley.

California Highway Patrol officers made two critical traffic stops, resulting in the seizure of 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills and 11 pounds of fentanyl valued at $1.7 million.

On Oct. 3 in Fresno County, a CHP K-9 unit alerted officers to narcotics hidden in a cooler. Inside the cooler, authorities discovered packages of raw beef used to conceal 11 pounds of fentanyl, worth about $500,000. The suspect, a resident of Washington state, was arrested and booked on felony charges.

A day later in Merced County, another CHP K-9 officer discovered 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills and two handguns during a routine traffic stop in Los Banos. Two more suspects, also from Washington state, were arrested on multiple felony charges.

These operations are part of California’s broader effort to combat the fentanyl crisis. Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., has ramped up enforcement and prevention measures, including expanding the National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force. Since January 2024, the task force has seized over 5,000 pounds of fentanyl powder and nearly 10 million pills.

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