MIDVALE, UTAH – SEPTEMBER 8, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) –Â The takedown of a wanted gang member at a Midvale motel netted police a lot more than they bargained Friday night. The unexpected payoff came in the form of 23 pounds of meth, five pounds of heroin, a stolen handgun, and two live hand grenades.
Police made the eye-opening discovery after arresting fugitive Anthony Richard Aguilera at the Staybridge Suites at 747 Blue Vista Lane. Detectives had been tipped off Aguilera was staying at the hotel. They managed to lure him to the lobby where he was taken into custody without incident.
While searching his room, police discovered a suitcase 23.5 lbs methamphetamine, 5.5 lbs heroin, one handgun believed to be stolen from Spokane, Washington and two live grenades.Â
The estimated street value of the seizures is nearly $800,000.   Â
Unified Police Department detectives assigned to the Taylorsville Precinct Street Crimes Unit and members of the Utah County Major Crimes Taskforce have been working a joint investigation into a drug trafficking organization smuggling large amounts of heroin into the Salt Lake Valley.
This latest bust came just days after authorities seized narcotics with a street value of  $1 million in West Valley City. This first drug bust provided authorities with the information they needed to carry out the second operation.
In total, 22 lbs of heroin, 1 lb of cocaine and $9,950 in U.S. Currency were seized on September 2.
Detectives and agents from both agencies served a search warrant on a residence around 6500 West 3500 South they had identified as the primary stash house/residence of the local leader of the drug trafficking organization. Candelario Delgado-Soto, 38, was arrested at the home. Five vehicles were located at the home that contained hidden compartments that had been custom made to smuggle narcotics. These vehicles were seized.
Narcotics were recovered from each vehicle and from the home.
After Friday night’s operation, detectives also traveled to Stockton, California, where it is thought the narcotics were being picked up from. A home was served with a search warrant Monday night at 9 p.m., and 11 lb of cocaine, $30,000 in U.S. currency and a truck that similarly had multiple hidden compartments were seized.
UPD and Utah County detectives were on scene and will continue that investigation to do as much as they can to shut down the operation.
UPD spokesman Lt. Lex Bell said:” What we have done here in Salt Lake County by taking 50 pounds of narcotics off the street in a week is going to slow this organization down.”
