June 25, 10

NEWS / DEA, San Bernardino Sheriffs Department Seize $45 Million of Illegal Drugs

JUN 25 - (LOS ANGELES) – Timothy J. Landrum, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Los Angeles Field Division and San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops announce the seizure of approximately 2750 pounds of cocaine, 67 pounds of methamphetamine and 38,000 pounds of marijuana following the traffic stop of a tractor-trailer in San Bernardino County, California.

The tractor-trailer was carrying a shipment of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana with an estimated street value of approximately $45 million dollars. The driver, Fernando Luevano, age 32, from Fontana, was arrested and booked at the Central Detention Center for Possession, Transportation and Sales of Narcotics. His bail is set at $5,000,000 and he is scheduled for arraignment on Friday, June 25, 2010 in Rancho Superior Court in San Bernardino, California.

“This was a brazen transportation of 40,000 pounds of drugs, more than 18 tons of drugs that could have ended up in neighborhoods throughout California,” said Timothy J. Landrum, DEA Special Agent in Charge. “This seizure will have a direct impact on the availability of these dangerous drugs in our communities.”

Sheriff Rod Hoops stated, “This is one of the largest seizures in the county and I will make every effort to continue this aggressive fight against drug traffickers entering San Bernardino County.”

On Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at approximately 11:00 a.m., the San Bernardino Sheriff’s High Intensity Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop on a tractor-trailer for a traffic violation while travelling eastbound on Interstate 10 in San Bernardino County. After making contact with the driver, Luevano, the deputy found that the paperwork for his load was not in order. Leuvano gave consent to search the vehicle and upon opening the trailer, the deputies noticed an overwhelming odor of marijuana. A further search of the trailer yielded 92 pallets containing thousands of heat sealed packages of illegal narcotics. Field testing of the packages yielded positive results for cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana.

The DEA Riverside Office and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Narcotics Division are continuing this joint investigation.

http://www.justice.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/2010/la062510a.html