Major Cocaine Seizure During YCSO Traffic Stop

Eduardo Martinez

On March 12, 2018, around 7 AM, YCSO K9 deputies arrested 20-year-old Eduardo Pedro Martinez from Texas after locating approximately 47.5 lbs of cocaine and 27.5 lbs of marijuana during a traffic stop.

Charges include Transportation of Narcotic Drugs for Sale, Possession of Narcotic Drugs for Sale, Possession/Use of Narcotic Drugs, Transportation of Marijuana for Sale, Possession of Marijuana for Sale, Possession/Use of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Forgery and Failure to comply with a Police Officer.

He was booked into the Camp Verde Detention Center and remains in-custody on a $750,000 bond.

Just before 7 AM, a YCSO deputy stopped a gray 2016 BMW sedan for equipment violations on east I40 in Ash Fork. The driver and only occupant was Martinez. For officer safety concerns developed during the initial contact, Martinez was asked to exit his vehicle. Martinez refused several times until the deputy opened the car door and ordered him from the vehicle. Martinez was arrested for Failure to comply with a Police Officer and placed in the patrol unit.

Based on the deputy’s training and experience and the behavior of Martinez, he elected to deploy a YCSO K9 for an exterior sniff of the vehicle to determine if contraband was present. An assisting K9 deputy arrived, and deployed K9 ‘Vader’ and received an alert from his certified dog. A search of the vehicle was conducted and the deputy found two large garbage bags in the trunk. Inside the garbage bags were several packages of marijuana. A further search revealed a food stuff bag likely containing at least a “Kilo,” (about 2 pounds) what appeared as cocaine. A cardboard box nearby was found to contain numerous additional kilos.

The content was later confirmed as cocaine with a total weight of all packages seized at 47.5 pounds and an estimated street value exceeding 1 million dollars. The marijuana weighed in at 27.5 pounds.

The forgery charge was for possession of a fake Social Security Card.

Partner’s Against Narcotics Trafficking (PANT) detectives are continuing the investigation into the source and destination of this drug load.

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