On the evening of Saturday, January 21, 2023, the Arizona State Police initiated a traffic stop to drivers of Mazda SUVs on Interstate 40 at Milepost 285 in Holbrook. During the traffic stop, troopers observed several signs of criminal activity. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed approximately 25.8 pounds of suspicious fentanyl tablets (including multicolored tablets) hidden in the spare tire inside the vehicle.
The driver, Jesus Hernandez Hernandez, 28, of Manson, Washington, was incarcerated in the Navajo County Jail on charges including possessing and transporting drugs for sale.
Troopers have determined that the suspected drugs are being smuggled from California into Oklahoma.
