California Highway Patrol officials said a traffic stop in Merced County led to the seizure of about 30 pounds of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of $817,200.
CHP said a Central Division canine officer stopped a 2025 Honda CR-V on Aug. 12 for an alleged traffic violation. The officer identified “several indicators of possible criminal activity,” and a subsequent search allegedly uncovered a bag containing approximately 30 pounds of suspected cocaine, CHP said.
The driver was arrested and booked into the Merced County Main Jail on charges of possession of cocaine for sale and transportation of cocaine across non-contiguous counties, authorities said. CHP said the Merced Area Gang Narcotics Enforcement Team, known as MAGNET, is handling the investigation.
The seizure followed separate federal actions last month. The Justice Department said officials uncovered more than 1,000 pounds of cocaine concealed beneath the floorboards of a commercial truck entering the U.S. from Mexico. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said officers also found 278.88 pounds of cocaine hidden in a shipment of cucumbers at the Pharr International Bridge, with an estimated street value of $3,723,654.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
