MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Agents with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force (WTDTF) seized 22 pounds of fentanyl during a traffic stop on Interstate 40 early Thursday morning.
A 2011 Nissan Maxima was stopped on Interstate 40 near the Shelby/Fayette County line for displaying a fake Texas temporary tag and failure to exercise due care.
During the traffic stop, agents developed reasonable suspicion that those inside the car were engaged in further criminal activity and obtained consent to search the car. The search resulted in 22 pounds of suspected fentanyl concealed within a couch cushion in the back seat being used as a pillow by one of the suspects.
“If this fentanyl were to be pressed into the popular yet deadly fentanyl pills, it could potentially make 22,000,000 1mg tablets. The street value of these drugs is nearly $1 million in its powder form but if pressed into fentanyl pills, they could sell for as much as $220 million," WTDTF Director Johnie Carter said.
Three Texas men identified as Ervin Ortega-Zalaya, 26, Jose Zelaya, 31, and Jonathan Zelaya, 23, of Lexington, Kentucky, were arrested and are in custody at the Fayette County jail awaiting bond.
