In a recent drug bust, U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona reported the arrest of two men who cleverly disguised fentanyl pills within roof shingle packaging. Carlos Rene Montes, 32, from Tucson, and Miguel Angel Sesma, 30, a legal permanent resident from Mexico residing in Phoenix, are now facing significant legal repercussions.
Driving an SUV into a Phoenix store's parking lot on March 10, the DEA Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force observed Montes as they parked near a pickup truck. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, Montes was seen transferring "factory-sealed packages of roofing shingles from his vehicle to the bed" of the pickup truck, shortly after engaging in conversation with Sesma.
Post interaction, both vehicles were stopped and searched by EVDETF investigators. A canine detective from the Mesa Police Department alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vicinity of the pickup truck bed. Subsequently, approximately 114 pounds of blue M30 pills laced with fentanyl were found hidden within the roofing shingles in Sesma's truck.
Following the discovery, an ensuing search at Montes's Tucson home unearthed an additional 32 pounds of the same pills, as AZ Family stated, where Montes reportedly told investigators he had more drugs. In total, the investigation claimed the retrieval of about 700,000 fentanyl-containing pills from both the packaging and Montes's home.
The charges laid against Montes and Sesma include conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, "each suspect could face 10 years to life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $10,000,000," according to information provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
