FRESNO,
Calif. – A traffic stop on Interstate 5 in Fresno County led to a major drug
bust after a California Highway Patrol (CHP) Central Division canine officer
uncovered 11 pounds of fentanyl, valued at approximately $500,000.
On October
3, a CHP canine officer pulled over a Ford Edge on northbound Interstate 5
(I-5) near Nees Avenue. During the stop, the officer discovered that the driver
was unlicensed and initiated a vehicle impound. Suspecting criminal activity,
the officer requested and received written consent to search the vehicle.
The
officer’s canine partner quickly alerted to the presence of narcotics. Inside
the car, the officer found two packages of fentanyl in a soft tote cooler and
three more hidden within packages of carne asada beef in a separate cooler. The
total weight of the five packages was 11 pounds.
Andres
Daniel Gonzalez Murillo, 30, of Washougal, Washington, was arrested at the
scene and booked into the Fresno County Jail on felony charges of possession of
fentanyl for sale and transportation of fentanyl across non-contiguous
counties.
“Every drug seizure not only disrupts the flow
of illicit drugs but also safeguards our communities, ensuring a healthier,
safer environment for all,” said CHP Central Division Chief Damon Gilmore.
The
case was turned over to the Fresno High Impact Investigation
Team, which is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative composed of
law enforcement personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the
California Department of Justice; the CHP; the California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office,
the Fresno, Madera, and Kings Counties Sheriff’s Offices; and the Fresno Police
Department.
The
mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and
Security.
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