Cops Make Massive $750K Fentanyl Bust Near Grand Junction

In 2023, one of Mesa County's largest drug busts took place when the Colorado State Patrol stopped a speeding car in De Beque Canyon. Police discovered 75 pounds of methamphetamine and 100,000 fentanyl pills during the stop, according to KKCO News 11. The bust was estimated to be worth over $3 million.

Read More: Avoid Fines: This Simple Driving Mistake Is Illegal in Colorado

Both the Mesa County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado State Patrol continue to keep a close eye on I-70 between Utah and the Mesa County line for good reason. This week, their efforts stopped another large shipment of deadly fentanyl from moving through Grand Junction and the rest of the state.

Get our free mobile app

What Exactly Is Fentanyl?

Most people only hear about Fentanyl, the illegal drug, and may not realize it is also a synthetic opioid drug approved by the FDA as a treatment for pain or use as an anesthetic. The illegally trafficked kind is unregulated, impure, and likely mixed with heroin, meth, or counterfeit prescriptions.

Mesa County Police Find 13 Pounds of Deadly Fentanyl

Mesa County Sheriff’s Office reported a traffic stop on Tuesday, March 25^th on eastbound U.S. Interstate 70 that resulted in the discovery of about 13 pounds of fentanyl powder, with an estimated street value of $750,000. WesternSlopeNow.com reports police pulled over a suspect’s vehicle when it failed to maintain the eastbound lane.

Read More: Hanging Items From A Rearview Mirror: Illegal In Colorado?

Two People Arrested

KJCT8.com reported both 26-year-old Lucina Lopez and 24-year-old Vida Arellano of Apple Valley, California, as the two individuals arrested at the scene. The Mesa County deputy involved with the stop noticed the vehicle had been rented earlier that day in a neighboring state.