On May 30, 2018, just before 10 a.m., a member of the DPS Border Strike Force conducted a traffic stop on a Ford pickup for a traffic violation on westbound I-10 in Pima County. During the search of the vehicle, methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin were found.
Wrapped in clear plastic, 92.55 pounds of methamphetamine, 8.15 pounds of fentanyl and 1.8 pounds of heroin (equivalent to 816,000 hits) were seized. With 2 milligrams of fentanyl being a potentially lethal dose, the amount of fentanyl seized is capable of killing over one million people. The driver and sole occupant of the pickup was arrested on multiple charges and was booked into the Pima County Jail. He has been identified as Gustavo Vicente Torres Garcia, 40 of Mexico and was booked on the following charges:
● Possession of dangerous drugs for sale
● Transportation of dangerous drugs
● Possession of narcotic drugs for sale
● Transportation of narcotic drugs
Detectives from the Border Strike Force Criminal Targeting Unit, as well as highway patrol troopers, responded to assist with the investigation. The Arizona street value of the seized drugs is estimated to be just over $520,000.