Phoenix man charged after police seized 100,000 fentanyl pills

PHOENIX — A man in Phoenix was pulled over by police during a routine traffic stop, which led to the seizure of about 100,000 blue fentanyl pills.

Jose Manuel Arellano-Noriega, 37, of Mexico, was arrested on Monday, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona press release.

He was charged with possession with the intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.

Fentanyl bust Phoenix details

Investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force were near 43rd Avenue and McDowell Road when Arellano-Noriega was pulled over in a red Fiat for driving 10 miles above the posted speed limit.

A police canine conducted a search and caught the scent of drugs inside his car. A black backpack was also found with a 9-mm handgun containing a loaded magazine.

How did police find 100,000 blue fentanyl pills in Phoenix?

Arellano-Noriega admitted to owning the handgun and confessed to police that there were large amounts of fentanyl pills and powder at his home.

Arellano-Noriega consented to a search of his apartment, where police located seven bricks, weighing more than 7,800 grams of powdered fentanyl and about 100,000 blue fentanyl pills that weighed about 12,150 grams, which totaled nearly 44 pounds of drugs.

If convicted, Arellano-Noriega could face a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine.

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