What started as a run-of-the-mill traffic stop on San Antonio's West Side turned into a major drug bust on Thursday, after deputies traced a vehicle back to a nearby home and uncovered a sizable meth stash, guns and cash.
Deputies with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office said the stop in the 7400 block of Westlyn Drive led investigators to seek a search warrant for a nearby residence. Inside, they reported seizing roughly 2.4 kilograms of crystal meth, along with firearms, digital scales and $13,982 in suspected drug proceeds. Several people were arrested in connection with the operation.
Deputies Describe How The Stop Escalated
According to a Facebook post from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, deputies first pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation on Thursday when a passenger tried to make a run for it. That passenger was quickly taken into custody.
Information gathered during the stop prompted investigators to obtain a search warrant for a residence in the 7400 block of Westlyn Drive. When deputies moved in at the home, they said one suspect bolted out the back and tried to hide under a neighbor's shed before being found.
The sheriff's office reported that a search of the residence turned up about 2.4 kilograms of crystal meth, along with digital scales, packaging materials and multiple firearms. A search of the vehicle yielded roughly 48 grams of meth and a firearm, and deputies said they recovered about 116.2 grams of methamphetamine from the passenger who had attempted to flee.
Seizures Have Stretched County Resources
Authorities say large drug seizures like this one have become increasingly common in Bexar County, and the volume is putting serious pressure on the county's forensic system.
KSAT reported in November that record levels of drug evidence were contributing to a backlog at the county crime lab. To keep up, officials began outsourcing some drug testing and hiring additional staff to clear the mounting caseload.
That backlog can delay formal lab results and slow case processing, which in turn affects how quickly prosecutors receive the evidence they need to move cases forward.
Arrests And Charges
Booking records and law enforcement posts list four people arrested in connection with the investigation.
Felipe Garcia was booked on counts that include manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance (meth), tampering with evidence and resisting arrest or search/transport, according to booking information.
Edward Cano faces multiple counts including manufacture/delivery of meth at or above the 400‑gram threshold, additional manufacture/delivery counts for cocaine and heroin, alleged unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an allegation of possession of a prohibited weapon described as a machine gun, and an allegation related to a Glock conversion device.
Brian Cano was booked on a manufacture/delivery charge tied to large quantities of meth, and Santiago Barrientes was arrested on an outstanding assault family‑member warrant.
These names and charges were listed in the Bexar County Sheriff's Office post and in booking records released by law enforcement.
Legal Stakes Under Texas Law
Methamphetamine falls under Penalty Group 1 in Texas, and punishments for manufacture or delivery climb sharply as the total weight increases.
Justia notes that offenses involving 200–399 grams and 400 grams or more can carry prison terms measured in decades, along with substantial fines.
The Texas Legislature also bars possession of prohibited weapons, including machine guns, under Chapter 46 of the Penal Code, which can add separate felony exposure in a case like this.
Investigation Ongoing
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office credited deputies for the work that led from a traffic stop to a substantial drug seizure and said the investigation remains active.
Officials indicated that additional steps could follow as lab testing and case review continue, and that more information will be released as charges are formalized and evidence is fully processed.
