How a traffic stop and a GPS device helped officials find $500K of fentanyl in Huber Heights

Two suspects whom authorities arrested when they met a car they allegedly thought contained nearly 10 pounds of fentanyl have been indicted on three drug trafficking counts in Dayton’s U.S. District Court, according to court records.

Cesar Linares-Serrano, 32, of Aculco, Mexico, and David Price, 31, of Columbus were arrested earlier this week after a task force sting involving fake drugs, a GPS device and cooperation of a driver of a car hauler carrying two vehicles. A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 24.

A press release from Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer said the 9.9 pounds of drugs are valued at about $500,000 and that authorities believe the fentanyl was transported from Mexico to Ohio using a commercial motor vehicle.

RELATED: Illegal immigrants dealt fentanyl in Miami County, feds say

“It cannot be over stated that each time we seize these highly addictive and deadly synthetic opioids, we are saving lives,” Steve Francis, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations for Michigan and Ohio, said in a news release.

“I applaud the task force and all of the personnel who put themselves at great personal risk to keep the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force one of the most productive in the nation.”

A criminal complaint filed in court provides more details about how an Aug. 8 stop of a car hauler carrying an Acura TL and a BMW led to drugs being found in the natural voids of both rear fenders of the Acura.

The complaint written by HSI special agent Timothy Wallace states the drugs field-tested positive for cocaine, not fentanyl as listed in the indictment.

RELATED: ‘Pure fentanyl’ actually was cocaine in big drug bust

Earlier this year, Plummer and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine held a news conference to announce a large seizure of fentanyl that actually tested positive as cocaine. In 2016, DeWine told law enforcement agencies to stop testing drugs on scene because of the danger of exposure to the substances.

“Field testing is not a good idea,” DeWine said then. “The risk is too high.”

The car hauler driver, who agreed to work with authorities after a traffic stop on Aug. 8, told investigators he picked up the Acura in California and was to deliver it to a parking lot at the Dayton Mall in exchange for $950. The driver said no one was there to pick up the car but that he was directed to stay in the Dayton area another night for an extra $100.

According to the complaint, the driver — who denied knowledge of drugs in the Acura — told investigators no one showed up again, but he agreed to deliver the car where he was directed by agents.

Sham narcotics were placed in the car, and a person told the driver by telephone that he would be paid an extra $200 to deliver the car to a Franklin business. Agents received a search warrant to attach a GPS unit to the Acura.

MORE: Read other stories from Mark Gokavi

On Aug. 9, agents were told a towing company placed the Acura on a flatbed truck, which was driven to a Huber Heights location. Agents later observed Linares and Price manipulating the interior of the Acura, and they were arrested.

According to the complaint, Linares said he was to be paid for accepting the vehicle, sent photos of it to Mexico and that he wasn’t expecting Price to arrive when he did. Linares said he didn’t know exactly what kind of contraband was in the vehicle. The sham kilograms had been stacked in the trunk.

“This is another example of the ongoing battle against drug cartels bringing in illegal drugs into our communities,” Plummer said in a news release. “We recognize collaboration through federal, state and local partnerships are necessary to have a significant impact on the criminal organizations in Montgomery County and the Miami Valley.”

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