Carne asada hid ‘meaty haul’ of fentanyl — 11 pounds in all, California officials say

A traffic stop led to the discovery of 11 pounds of fentanyl hidden inside packages of carne asada, California authorities reported.

A California Highway Patrol officer pulled over a vehicle on Interstate 5 in Fresno County on Oct. 3, according to a news release by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.

A police K-9 alerted the officer to a cooler in the vehicle containing packets of carne asada, the governor’s office said.

The officer discovered 11 pounds of fentanyl worth an estimated $500,000 hidden inside the packages of beef, the CHP said in a news release.

A 30-year-old Washington man faces charges of possessing fentanyl for sale and transporting fentanyl across non-contiguous counties, the CHP said.

Photos with the release show officers pulling apart carne asada to reveal soda cans and cakes of fentanyl. One shows the suspect vehicle with a “GOTBEEF” license plate.

Newsom’s office called it a “meaty haul.” The CHP seized an estimated $1.7 million in fentanyl, including the Fresno County bust, in one week, the office said.

This story was originally published October 9, 2024 at 9:55 AM with the headline "Carne asada hid ‘meaty haul’ of fentanyl — 11 pounds in all, California officials say."