A routine traffic stop in Waco turned into a major drug bust when a state trooper pulled over a vehicle and allegedly found about 24 pounds of a fentanyl-and-cocaine mixture hidden in a trap under the center console. The driver, 28-year-old Brownsville resident Jaime Vanegas, was arrested and now faces a federal charge that carries a potential sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Vanegas was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle when a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stopped him on Tuesday. A drug-detection dog alerted officers, and troopers carried out a probable-cause search of the vehicle.
Texas Man Arrested for Allegedly Trafficking More than 20 Pounds of Fentanyl-Cocaine Mixture @TxDPS https://t.co/xnJTjwhX58
— U.S. Attorney WDTX (@USAO_WDTX) November 20, 2025
During that search, authorities say they found a hidden trap door underneath the center console. Inside, troopers reported recovering 10 plastic-wrapped, brick-shaped packages. The criminal complaint alleges that the total weight of the substance and its packaging came to roughly 24 pounds, and that field tests indicated the packages contained a mixture of fentanyl and cocaine.
How Authorities Say The Seizure Unfolded
X carried the news as the U.S. Attorney's Office shared a post about the arrest and linked to the full press release. Prosecutors say a follow-up search of Vanegas's electronic devices allegedly turned up photos of bundled bulk cash, images of the hidden compartment, and pictures of packages that appeared consistent with the bricks troopers pulled from the vehicle.
Why Fentanyl Mixes Are Especially Dangerous
Fentanyl is significantly more potent than many other opioids and is increasingly found mixed into powders and counterfeit pills, which can spike the risk of accidental overdoses. The Texas Department of Public Safety's One Pill Kills campaign warns that as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal and notes that dealers often lace cocaine and other drugs with the substance, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
What’s Next In The Case
Vanegas made his initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday. He is charged in a criminal complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing fentanyl. If he is convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Blanton is prosecuting the case, and the Texas Department of Public Safety continues to investigate.
The U.S. Attorney's Office emphasized that a criminal complaint is only an allegation and that Vanegas is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.
