Sheriff’s Office: Man and juvenile arrested on narcotics charges after thousands of fentanyl pills discovered during traffic stop
Photo credit: Kern County Sheriff’s Office
Two individuals, one adult and one juvenile, were arrested after thousands of fentanyl pills were discovered during a recent traffic stop in Kern County.
On March 31, K-9 unit deputies conducted an enforcement stop in the area of South H Street and Panama Lane in Bakersfield. The driver, later identified as 31-year-old Jose Mario Quintero Beltran, gave them permission to search the vehicle, leading to their discovery of thousands of suspected fentanyl pills hidden in the rear passenger compartment.
Kern County drug trafficking investigators later assumed control of the investigation, securing a search warrant for Beltran’s residence. There they reportedly found an additional 51,000 fentanyl pills, about three pounds of suspected methamphetamine, about 18 kilos of suspected cocaine, U.S. currency, and other evidence of narcotics sales.
Beltran was ultimately arrested and booked on suspicion on multiple charges relating to these discoveries. A 17-year-old juvenile, who’d been a passenger in Beltran’s vehicle during the enforcement stop, was also arrested and booked at Juvenile Hall on narcotics-related charges and conspiracy.
