SANTA NELLA, Calif. – Two suspected drug runners are behind bars and a CHP K9 officer is getting extra treats after making a massive bust in the north Valley.
On the afternoon of October 4, a California Highway Patrol canine officer seized around 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in Merced County.
The discovery, with an estimated street value of $1.2 million, resulted in the arrest of two suspects on multiple felony charges.
The incident began when the CHP officer pulled over a Chevrolet Malibu for a traffic violation on northbound I-5 near Santa Nella. During a search of the vehicle, officers uncovered two loaded guns and approximately 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills concealed in the trunk.
The driver, Henry Tsan, 25, of Renton, Washington, and the passenger, Cashous Sauntino Keowongphet, 23, of Seattle, Washington, were arrested and booked into Los Banos City Jail.
“Our canine officers are on the front lines in the fight against drug trafficking. This significant seizure underscores the ongoing efforts of the California Highway Patrol to combat drug trafficking and protect California’s communities from the dangers of illicit narcotics,” said CHP Central Division Chief Damon Gilmore
