RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Deputies uncovered a huge amount of narcotics valued at $45 million after they pulled over a tractor trailer for a traffic violation, officials said.
At around 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, a deputy pulled over 32-year-old truck driver Fernando Luevano on the 10 Freeway at Etiwanda Avenue, according to Sheriff-Coroner Rod Hoops of the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department.
After deputies confirmed Luevano's paperwork for the load in his truck was not in order, they opened the back of his tractor trailer and were overwhelmed by a powerful marijuana odor.
A further search yielded a huge amount of heat-sealed narcotics, including approximately 38,000 pounds of marijuana, 2,700 pounds of cocaine and 67 pounds of methamphetamine, deputies said. The drugs were valued at $45,000,000.
"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," Hoops said.
Luevano was arrested and booked at Central Detention Center for possession, transportation and sales of narcotics.
His bail was set at $5 million and his arraignment was scheduled for Friday in Rancho Superior Court.
The Sheriff's Narcotics Division will be continuing to investigate the incident in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The department is asking anyone with further information on the drug seizure to call them at (909) 890-4840.
At around 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, a deputy pulled over 32-year-old truck driver Fernando Luevano on the 10 Freeway at Etiwanda Avenue, according to Sheriff-Coroner Rod Hoops of the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department.
After deputies confirmed Luevano's paperwork for the load in his truck was not in order, they opened the back of his tractor trailer and were overwhelmed by a powerful marijuana odor.
A further search yielded a huge amount of heat-sealed narcotics, including approximately 38,000 pounds of marijuana, 2,700 pounds of cocaine and 67 pounds of methamphetamine, deputies said. The drugs were valued at $45,000,000.
"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," Hoops said.
Luevano was arrested and booked at Central Detention Center for possession, transportation and sales of narcotics.
His bail was set at $5 million and his arraignment was scheduled for Friday in Rancho Superior Court.
The Sheriff's Narcotics Division will be continuing to investigate the incident in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The department is asking anyone with further information on the drug seizure to call them at (909) 890-4840.
