A staggering 200 pounds of methamphetamine destined for the streets of Portland was intercepted this week when law enforcement officials stopped a suspicious vehicle along Interstate 5 near Tualatin. Juan Manuel Berrelleza Leyva, a 22-year-old Mexican national living in Portland, has been hit with federal drug trafficking charges in the wake of the bust that yielded not only the meth but also over two pounds of heroin, KOIN reported.
Sources say that on the evening of Jan. 21, authorities were tipped off to Leyva's activities and managed to quickly locate his vehicle as he made his way northward between Salem and Tualatin. The suspect initially attempted to evade the officers, but ultimately pulled the vehicle over, which a narcotics K-9 promptly flagged, indicating the presence of drugs. Officials then uncovered the substantial drug haul packed in a duffle bag, suitcase, and trash bag stashed in Leyva's vehicle, as per the KPTV report.
During interrogation, Leyva confessed to authorities that he had entered the United States about seven months prior and was involved in picking up and transporting drugs into Portland from other states. In a statement acquired by Medford Alert, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon confirmed that Leyva was charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
Leyva appeared in federal court this Tuesday and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. This significant seizure is a result of the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Westside Interagency Narcotics team, all part of a concerted push to rigorously fight against the proliferation of illegal narcotics in the community. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin is set to prosecute the case.
