Traffic stop leads to drug bust in Salt Lake City’s Fairpark community

Photo: Salt Lake City Police Department

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. 18, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A 22-year-old man was arrested in Salt Lake City’s Fairpark community Tuesday after police found a distributable amount of illegal drugs in his vehicle.

A Salt Lake City police officer patrolling the area of 1000 West and North Temple pulled over a white Honda Civic at 1:08 a.m. after a computer search of the vehicle’s license plate indicated the car was uninsured, court documents state.

The driver, later identified as Raymundo Romero, told the officer he spoke only Spanish, and a Spanish-speaking officer was called in to assist, according to a probable cause statement filed in 3rd District Court.

Romero told the officers in Spanish that he “never obtained a license and does not have insurance,” the statement continues.

Police say Romero was exiting the vehicle at officers’ request to prepare for impound when they “observed marijuana fall from his lap and onto the driver seat.”

“I could also see a bag in the door pocket containing marijuana,” the affidavit states.

A police search of the vehicle found 58 grams of packaged methamphetamine and 11 grams of marijuana, court documents state.

Romero told police he hadn’t sold any drugs but had a large amount “because he knows people like it,” according to the probable cause statement.

“These types of drug seizures disrupt street-level dealing and help keep those who prey on people addicted to drugs off of our streets,” Chief Mike Brown said in a news release. “Day and night, our officers work around the clock to help keep our community safe and hold people accountable when they break the law.”

Romero was arrested for investigation of:

  • Distribution of a controlled substance, a second-degree felony
  • Possession of a controlled substance/marijuana, a class B misdemeanor
  • Operating a vehicle without insurance, a class C misdemeanor
  • No valid driver’s license, an infraction

He is being held in the Salt Lake County jail on $1,000 bail.

A man was arrested after police found a distributable amount of drugs in his vehicle Tuesday Nov 15 2022 Photo Salt Lake City Police Department

1 COMMENT

  1. Meth needs to be off our streets, but quit wasting tax dollars on busting people for marijuana! It will be federally legal soon! This headline is typical Mormon opinion of what a large amount of “drugs” is!

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