Mesquite Police Find 68 Pounds of Suspected Meth During I-15 Stop

Authorities in Mesquite say a traffic stop on Interstate 15 led to the discovery of a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine.

According to the Mesquite Police Department, the incident happened on August 12 near mile marker 121, when officers stopped a vehicle that was reportedly moving erratically and below the posted speed limit.

Police identified the driver as 30-year-old Fredys Ortega Perez of Big Lake, Minnesota. Officers determined he did not have a valid driver’s license or proof of registration. A K-9 unit named Rogue alerted officers to the presence of illegal substances inside the vehicle.

Investigators say they located a large duffel bag containing 60 vacuum-sealed packages of a substance believed to be methamphetamine, weighing approximately 68 pounds. Police estimate the street value at around $400,000. The packages were reportedly packed with coffee grounds, a method law enforcement says is commonly used to conceal drug odors.

Perez was taken into custody and booked at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas. He faces one count of trafficking a controlled substance in excess of 400 grams.

Original source: Las Vegas Review-Journal