WEST WENDOVER, Nevada, July 13, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — West Wendover police found more than $100,000 worth of methamphetamine and heroin during a traffic stop in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The traffic stop took place on Interstate 80 eastbound at mile marker 406 at approximately 1:52 a.m., said a news release from the city of West Wendover.
“A West Wendover police officer conducted a traffic stop on a 2014 Silver Hyundai with California license plates for traffic violations, the news release said. “During the stop, the officer suspected drug activity. A West Wendover police K-9 unit arrived, and the handler deployed his K-9 partner on the vehicle. K-9 Officer Astro indicated the presence of illicit narcotics.”
After further investigation, the officers discovered approximately 24 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, approximately two pounds of suspected heroin and a small amount of suspected cocaine in the vehicle. The combined street value of the illicit drugs is estimated over $100,000, the news release said.
Two suspects were arrested and booked into Elko County Jail for numerous charges.
Angel Garcia Santos, 37, from San Jose, California, is facing 12 charges of methamphetamine trafficking, one charge of heroin trafficking, one charge of possession of cocaine and two traffic violations. Miriam Hernandez De La Torre, 29, also from San Jose, is facing 12 charges of methamphetamine trafficking, one charge of heroin trafficking, and one charge of possession of cocaine.
Chief of Police Cal Kunz said: “I am thrilled with the outstanding work by our police officers and K-9 Astro. When we stop a large quantity of illicit drugs from entering our community it undoubtedly saves lives.”
The news release added: “The West Wendover Police Department has recently stepped up its efforts to intercept illicit narcotics before they enter our city. We have two well trained narcotics detection K-9 units who are certified in Nevada and Utah. Several of our patrol officers have received specialized training to spot drug traffickers as well as investigate illegal drug activity.
“We also work closely with our Nevada and Utah law enforcement partners to share information which has led to several drug seizures and arrests in our community as well as outside of our jurisdiction. We will continue our efforts to aggressively pursue and stop drug traffickers and reduce the negative impact they bring.”
