55 pounds of cocaine seized near Ashland

Article publisher: 
Mail Tribune
Article date: 
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Article category: 
Crime
Medium
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Oregon State Police seized 55 pounds of "high-grade" cocaine Tuesday morning during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 near Ashland.

According to OSP Sgt. Dave Beck, a trooper stopped a 2011 Nissan Altima Tuesday morning near milepost 12 for a traffic violation.

The driver was identified as Israel Mendez-Gonzalez [also known as Hipolito Carrillo], 57 [41], of San Bernardino, Calif.

A search of the Altima revealed 25 individually sealed bags of cocaine hidden in the car. The cocaine was sniffed out by a drug dog, Beck said in a news release.

In all, the bags contained 55 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $875,000, OSP said.

Mendez-Gonzalez [aka Hipolito Carrillo] was arrested and lodged in the Jackson County Jail for possession and manufacture of cocaine. His bail is set at $60,000.

Two passengers, an elderly female and juvenile male, were released later and not arrested.

Felony arrests

Drugs — Hipolito Carrillo, 41, of Ontario, Calif. Oregon State Police Tuesday arrested Carrillo on charges of possession, delivery and manufacture of cocaine. In addition, Immigration and Customs Enforcement charged him with suspicion of being in the country illegally. He was lodged in jail without bail.