2 major drug busts made along I-5 in Central Valley

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- In the past week, California Highway Patrol officers have made two major drug busts in the Central Valley.

Last Friday, officials say CHP had the largest drug bust it has ever made in Merced County.

Over 700,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 133 pounds of meth, and 37 pounds of cocaine were taken from a vehicle during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 near the Santa Nella scales.

That's $10.5 million worth of drugs taken off the streets, but it's just a drop in the bucket.

"We're seeing an increase in fentanyl use which has created a lot of issues with overdoses and people passing away from the use of fentanyl, and that's something that not only affects the county, but it affects everybody in the United States," said Alexandra Britton with the Merced County Sheriff's Office.

A few days after the Merced County bust, there was another drug bust along the I-5 in Fresno County.

A vehicle was pulled over for a traffic violation when CHP officers found just over $1.3 million of cocaine hidden inside a blender box.

CHP says drug traffickers have gotten more creative with hiding their narcotics.

That's why K-9 officers are crucial as they can sniff out hidden drugs.

Both incidents happened along Interstate 5, which officials say is not uncommon.

The highway connects the entire west coast between Mexico and Canada, moving people and products -- even illegal ones.

"When there are drug busts, it's mostly on the highways because that's where people are transporting them," said Britton.

CHP and other law enforcement agencies remain vigilant about catching drug traffickers and appreciate any calls from you about any suspicious activity you see.

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