MARANA, Ariz — A traffic stop by an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper and a U.S. Border Patrol agent led to a 36-pound fentanyl seizure on Interstate 10 last week.
Officials said on Thursday, March 10, the trooper and Border Patrol agent initiated a traffic stop on the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta on westbound Interstate 10 at milepost 231, in Marana.
During the stop, a vehicle search was performed leading to the discovery of more than 36 pounds of fentanyl pills concealed inside, according to DPS.
Authorities said the driver, 26-year-old Erick A. Jimenez of Rio Rico, Arizona, was arrested and booked into the Pima County Jail on charges including possession and transportation of a dangerous drug for sale.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, synthetic opioids (such as fentanyl) are currently the main cause of overdose deaths in the U.S.
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