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TAYLORSVILLE — Two people were arrested and about 20 pounds of methamphetamine were seized during an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration on Tuesday.
Agents with the DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force had been keeping surveillance on a residence in Taylorsville. A man left the home about 9:40 a.m. and got into the back of a taxi. When officers pulled the vehicle over, they asked Mauricio Hermosillo Becerra, 26, if he had any weapons on him, according to a police booking affidavit.
"Mauricio responded by pulling a large wad of cash from his pocket and giving it to (an officer). Mauricio told (the officer) that the cash was approximately $7,000 and that he was using it to purchase a Honda Civic," the affidavit states.
Investigators then searched the bag Becerra was carrying and found "3 pounds of bulk packaged methamphetamine, several ounces of heroin prepackaged in smaller quantities for distribution and approximately 1,000 counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills prepackaged for distribution," according to the affidavit.
Agents then obtained a search warrant for Becerra's residence where an estimated 20 more pounds of meth and 1,500 grams of fentanyl were seized, in addition to cocaine and heroin. Becerra was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of four counts of drug possession with intent to distribute. An immigration detainer was also placed on Becerra for being deported previously and re-entering the U.S. illegally.
A second residence, about 10 minutes away, was also searched on Tuesday and an additional 1,000 fentanyl pills were seized, according to a separate arrest report. Guadalupe Flores, 23, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of drug distribution with intent to distribute.
