Kentucky State Police troopers have made a major drug arrest, seizing over seven pounds of fentanyl and over two pounds of cocaine.
State police said that on Wednesday night at approximately 8:30, troopers conducted a traffic stop on a 2012 Chevrolet Spark, being driven by 31-year-old Victor Rodriguez, of Newark, New Jersey. Police stopped the vehicle on the Hwy 70 on-ramp to I-65 in Cave City.
Police asked for and were granted consent to search the vehicle where troopers discovered about 7.5 pounds of fentanyl in pill form and “tightly wrapped and vacuum sealed” in multiple packages.
During a continued search of the vehicle on Thursday, troopers located 2.2 pounds of cocaine.
The drugs, police said, are worth about $400,000 on the street.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (fentanyl), first-degree promoting contraband, failure to or improper signal, and license to be in possession. A cocaine trafficking charge will soon be added.
Rodriguez was lodged in the Barren County Detention Center on a $75,000 cash bond.
According to the Mt. Sterling Police Department, nine suspects were indicted as a result of the investigation.
During the inquiry, conducted by six agencies comprising the Gateway Area Drug Task Force and lasting 10 months, authorities seized approximately 22 pounds of methamphetamine (worth about $422,000 on the street), just under three pounds of heroin/fentanyl (worth about $200,000 on the street), nine firearms, and $120,000 in cash.
Mt. Sterling police said the suspects face multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, use of a firearm in furtherance of narcotics trafficking, and money laundering.
“This organization was believed to be obtaining narcotics from California and having those narcotics transported to Lexington,” officials said. “These narcotics were then being distributed to other local areas including Clark, Montgomery, and Powell counties.”
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
