Nogales, Ariz. – On October 24, 2017, at about 10:40 p.m., a state trooper made a traffic stop on a van traveling northbound along I-19, north of Nogales, for unsafe lane usage. After stopping the vehicle, the male driver immediately fled from the scene into a wooded area next to the interstate and was not apprehended.
129 bales of marijuana were located inside of the van and state detectives were called to assist with the investigation. The bales of marijuana were weighed, resulting in a combined weight of 2,655 pounds. The street value of the marijuana is estimated to be worth $929,250.
Sgt. Mondragon said, “The Department is committed to disrupting criminal activity perpetrated by domestic and transnational criminal organizations in southern Arizona and we are certainly proud of the work accomplished by our people on this case”.