“Kudos to the officers and agents whose work resulted in the seizure of 45 pounds of illegal drugs as well as the arrests of two suspected drug traffickers.  Their work helps to make California a safer place to live.” – CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

FRESNO — On September 26, 2023, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Highway Patrol announced the arrest of two suspects and the seizure of more than 45 pounds of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, in Fresno County.

The arrests are the result of an initial CHP traffic stop on September 21, 2023, and subsequent investigation by California Department of Justice’s High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT).

The suspects, who were operating the vehicle without drivers’ licenses, are alleged to have been transporting the narcotics from Oakland to Los Angeles. The CHP officers and DOJ special agents identified 43 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.5 pounds of illicit fentanyl that had been hidden in various areas inside the vehicle. The case was referred to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

“Throughout the state, the California Department of Justice and our allied partners are working together to prevent illicit and dangerous drugs from entering our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Together we have made hundreds of arrests and seized thousands of pounds of narcotics. These arrests and seizures should send a clear message: We will not tolerate the transport and sale of illegal narcotics within California. I want to thank our teams and our law enforcement partners across the state; there are countless lives being saved as a result of their important and difficult work.”

The High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT) is a California DOJ Bureau of Investigation-led multiagency task force, federally funded through the national High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. It is comprised of members from the California Department of Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation-Special Services Unit, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. As part of DOJ’s task force program, the participating agencies of HIIT work in collaboration to combat drug trafficking organizations, violent career criminals and gangs. These unique and essential teams use the latest technology and advanced investigative techniques and work alongside local, state, and federal law enforcement to enhance investigations into violent criminals and organized crime throughout the state.