Nevada trooper stop nets $3.6M in fentanyl, arrest near Utah

By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada state police arrested a Washington state man and seized 56 pounds (25.4 kilograms) of suspected fentanyl with an estimated street value of $3.6 million from a vehicle a trooper stopped near the Utah line.

Jorge A. Rivas-Vizcarra, 50, of Royal City was being held on multiple drug charges Wednesday in the White Pine County Jail in Ely where his bail was set at $750,000.

He was arrested Monday after a traffic stop on U.S Highway 93 about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Ely. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had a lawyer or would be appointed one at a pending court appearance.

Rivas-Vizcarra was booked on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance — fentanyl, possession of a controlled substance for sale, transporting a controlled substance and transporting a controlled substance that cannot be introduced into commerce, White Pine County Sheriff Scott Henriod said in an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The vehicle he was driving was traveling north on US-93 north of Ely just before 9 a.m. Monday when the trooper observed a vehicle equipment violation and pulled him over, Nevada state police said in a statement late Tuesday.

“Upon contact with the driver, the trooper observed signs of possible criminal activity and requested consent to search the vehicle,” state police said.

The driver granted consent to search the vehicle and Nevada Department of Wildlife game warden arrived on scene to assist the trooper, they said.

State police are withholding any additional information because the investigation is ongoing, they said.