More than 100 pounds of meth found during Merced County traffic stop, CHP says
A traffic stop on a Merced County highway led to the discovery of more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine, according to authorities.
At about 1:30 a.m., Sunday, a California Highway Patrol Coastal Division officer stopped the driver of a Ford F-150 for a speeding violation along Highway 99 near the unincorporated area of Plainsburg in Merced County, according to CHP Coastal Division Officer Jordan Richards.
During the stop, officers made contact with the driver and passenger inside the vehicle, identified as Francisco Salgado Hernandez, 35, and Domingo Solache-Castaneda, 39, respectively. Authorities said the officers developed reasonable suspicion to utilize CHP K-9 Rae. During the stop, K-9 Rae reportedly alerted the officers to the possibility of narcotics in the vehicle.
While searching the vehicle, officers found multiple large cardboard boxes in the bed of the pickup truck. Inside the boxes, officers found 117 individually wrapped packages of methamphetamine weighing one pound each, according to the CHP.
Both occupants were arrested and booked into the Merced County Jail.
Salgado Hernandez was booked on suspicion of felony transportation of a controlled substance, transportation for sale of controlled substance between counties and possession for sale, according to jail records.
Solache-Castaneda was booked on suspicion of several charges including felony transportation of a controlled substance, transportation for sale of controlled substance between counties, possession for sale and misdemeanor charges.
