Trending Topics

CHP vehicle search uncovers ‘meaty haul’ of 11 pounds of fentanyl hidden in raw beef

The officer discovered the fentanyl, worth an estimated $500,000, hidden inside the packages of carne asada

By Don Sweeney
The Charlotte Observer

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. — A traffic stop led to the discovery of 11 pounds of fentanyl hidden inside packages of carne asada, California authorities reported.

A California Highway Patrol officer pulled over a vehicle on Interstate 5 in Fresno County on Oct. 3, according to a news release by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.

A police K-9 alerted the officer to a cooler in the vehicle containing packets of carne asada, the governor’s office said.

The officer discovered 11 pounds of fentanyl worth an estimated $500,000 hidden inside the packages of beef, the CHP said in a news release.

A 30-year-old Washington man faces charges of possessing fentanyl for sale and transporting fentanyl across non-contiguous counties, the CHP said.

Photos with the release show officers pulling apart carne asada to reveal soda cans and cakes of fentanyl. One shows the suspect vehicle with a “GOTBEEF” license plate.

Newsom’s office called it a “meaty haul.” The CHP seized an estimated $1.7 million in fentanyl, including the Fresno County bust, in one week, the office said.

©2024 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Trending
The affected 365+ grants include those intended to provide programs for gun crime prevention, anti-human trafficking and juvenile justice initiatives
Wellness
The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office’s 4/8/40 schedule pays deputies for working four 10-hour shifts, while they can use 2 hours per shift to work out, go to counseling or do other activities
The film’s release comes after city officials told police and fire unions they would not get raises in their new contracts because of unprecedented financial pressures
Public safety personnel were on duty at Lambeau Field to keep fans safe and secure at the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin