An illegal alien has been arrested for carrying enough fentanyl to kill the state's entire population — twice.
Prosecutors say a routine speeding stop on a Nevada highway turned up more than 700 pounds of fentanyl and methamphetamine — enough to kill millions of people.
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An illegal immigrant caught speeding in Nevada apparently had enough fentanyl in his truck to kill millions, according to federal prosecutors.
Francisco Joel Garcia-Farias, 26, is now facing federal drug trafficking charges after a Lincoln County sheriff's deputy stopped his pickup truck on a rural highway and a narcotics detection dog alerted the vehicle, according to the Nevada District Attorney's Office.
Inside, authorities say they found 13 large stashes packed with approximately 30 pounds of suspected fentanyl and 677 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, totaling more than 700 pounds.
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A Homeland Security Investigations file photo shows a display of packaged drugs. The image came with the announcement of a fentanyl and methamphetamine bust in Nevada and has not been identified as evidence of that traffic stop. (United States Attorney's Office, District of Nevada)
He added: "The sheer scale of this seizure is based on the staggering amount of illegal drugs flowing into our communities from transnational criminal organizations," said Sigal Chatta, First Assistant US Attorney for the District of Nevada.
"Fourteen kilograms of fentanyl alone represents approximately seven million potentially lethal two-milligram doses — enough to kill more than twice the population of Nevada — and when combined with more than 650 pounds of methamphetamine, represents an approximate street value of about $2 million," Chatta said.
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Packages of suspected narcotics fill a warehouse discovered during the investigation of Francisco Joel Garcia-Farias, who is facing federal fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking charges. (United States Attorney's Office, District of Nevada)
Based on this lethal dose estimate, fentanyl could potentially kill roughly twice the population of Los Angeles, all the residents of Indiana, or nearly the entire population of Paraguay.
"These staggering amounts reflect a blatant disregard for human life driven solely by profit," Chatta said.
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In its statement of charges, the Department of Justice identified Garcia Farias as an illegal immigrant.
According to a prosecutor's criminal complaint, the bust began Oct. 13 on U.S. Highway 93 near Ash Springs, Nevada, when a deputy saw a pickup truck traveling above the posted speed limit.
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Authorities say 13 stashes discovered during an Oct. 13 traffic stop in Lincoln County contained about 30 pounds of suspected fentanyl and 677 pounds of suspected methamphetamine. (United States Attorney's Office, District of Nevada)
After being alerted by the dog, deputies searched the truck and discovered multiple vacuum-sealed packages inside the berries.
Authorities recovered approximately 187 packages of a white crystalline substance weighing approximately 307.22 kilograms, along with 13 brick-shaped packages weighing approximately 14 kilograms. The prosecutor said: field tests of the selected samples were positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl, respectively.
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US Attorney General Todd Blanch said the seizure has kept the potentially deadly drug off America's streets.
"Anyone who tries to put a deadly drug like fentanyl on the streets of America will be prosecuted," Blanch said. Thanks to the efforts of federal and local law enforcement, the deadly drugs allegedly possessed by this illegal alien are no longer endangering the lives of countless Americans.
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The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security Task Force partners.
"The fentanyl suspect John A. Condon, HSI's executive vice president, and the methamphetamine found in this case pose an extraordinary threat to public safety."
"Through close coordination with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, the United States Attorney's Office and our Homeland Security Task Force partners, HSI will continue to identify, investigate and hold accountable those who profit from poisoning Americans and endangering our communities," Condon said.
Lincoln County Sheriff Derek Formaster credited traffic police with his deputies and a trained dog in detecting the suspected narcotics.
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"The allegations in this case underscore the serious threat posed by illegal drugs to rural communities and the traveling public," Formaster said.
"I am proud of the vigilance and professionalism of our deputies whose proactive traffic enforcement and trained K-9 deployment resulted in the identification of suspected narcotics and a coordinated response with Homeland Security Investigations."
Garcia-Farias is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
If convicted, he will face a minimum of 10 years of mandatory imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment in each case, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Prosecutors
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