NEPHI — An Illinois man who told police he was traveling to visit his family in California was arrested in Utah Friday after police reported finding 101 pounds of methamphetamine in his vehicle.
The seized drugs have an estimated street value of nearly $919,000, according to Nephi police.
Carlos Guadalupe Navarro Ornelas, 37, was booked into the Juab County Jail for investigation of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Nephi police said they pulled over Navarro’s vehicle on I-15 about 6:30 p.m. because of a missing light on his license plate, along with “several indicators consistent with drug trafficking activity.”
Navarro told police he had traveled to California from Chicago on Dec. 23 or Dec. 24, but a police booking affidavit said the Nephi police officer who arrested him “was previously aware the vehicle Carlos was driving had traveled into California on Jan. 2, leaving less than 24 hours later.” The arrest report does not indicate how the officer was aware of that.
Based on Navarro’s statements, police said they “became suspicious he may be involved in some form of criminal activity,” the affidavit states.
A narcotic detection K-9 named Grizz smelled an odor coming from the rear passenger door, leading to a discovery of two large black garbage bags behind the front passenger seat of the vehicle, the affidavit alleges, adding that the bags contained a total of 100 baggies containing methamphetamine and weighing more than 101 pounds.
Police said it was another addition to K-9 Grizz’s efforts in helping the Nephi Police Department seize more than 250 pounds of narcotics since being acquired in January 2023.
“This operation is a testament to our unwavering commitment to combating drug trafficking in our communities,” Nephi Police Chief Michael Morgan said in a statement. “By focusing on dismantling the criminal networks responsible for manufacturing and distributing dangerous substances, we are taking significant steps to protect the safety and well-being of our residents.”
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