CHP Seizes $1.7 Million Worth of Fentanyl in 2 Traffic Stops, Some Hidden in Raw Beef

Authorities found packages of fentanyl hidden inside carne asada packages during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in Fresno County, Calif., on Oct. 3, 2024. California Highway Patrol

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) last week seized 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills during two separate traffic stops, with the drugs hidden inside packages of raw beef in one of the vehicles. Three suspects were arrested, all residents of Washington state.

The first traffic stop, on Oct. 3 along Interstate 5 in Fresno County, resulted in a major bust after a K9 officer found a cooler containing several packages of carne asada in which 11 pounds of fentanyl, worth about $500,000, had been concealed.

A 30-year-old man was arrested and booked on felony possession of fentanyl for sale and transportation of fentanyl across noncontiguous counties. The suspect’s Washington plates read “GOTBEEF.” The case was taken over by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities found packages of fentanyl hidden in beef during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in Fresno County, Calif., on Oct. 3. California Highway Patrol

The next day in Merced County, a CHP Central Division officer seized 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills, valued at about $1.2 million, as well as two handguns during a traffic stop along Interstate 5 in Los Baños in California’s Central Valley.

Two men were arrested on scene. They each face felony charges.

In June, California Gov. Gavin Newsom increased the deployment of the California National Guard’s Counter Drug Task Force, more than doubling the number of servicemembers—to nearly 400 from 150—at the state’s ports of entry.

As of Oct. 1, the task force has seized more than 5,000 pounds of fentanyl powder and 9.6 million pills containing fentanyl. The seizures are valued at $43 million.

Authorities seized 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills and two handguns during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in Los Baños, Calif., on Oct. 4. California Highway Patrol

Also in the fight against opioids, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers based at the San Diego Field Office ports of entry reported on Oct. 7 that in August, they seized 10,827 pounds of narcotics worth millions of dollars. The drugs were seized from more than 108 incidents.

The San Diego Field Office covers ports of entry within Southern California, including San Ysidro, San Diego air and seaport, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico East/West, and Andrade.

In August, CBP officers seized 9,525 pounds of methamphetamine, 968 pounds of cocaine, 298 pounds of fentanyl, and 36 pounds of heroin, with a total value of more than $21 million.

Suspects were arrested and handed over to Homeland Security Investigations, while CBP seized their vehicles.

“At the San Diego Field Office, our mission is clear: to protect our borders, safeguard our nation, and ensure the safety of our communities,” Sidney K. Aki, CBP director of field operations for San Diego, said in a Oct. 7 statement.

Aki said the seizures are the result of a multifaceted approach to “dismantle transnational criminal organizations.”

CBP first encountered fentanyl in 2016 shipped via international mail and driven across a port of entry.