On Thursday, April 13, 2023, an Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) trooper stopped the driver of a Chevrolet pickup truck for non-moving violations on eastbound Interstate 8 near milepost 47, in Wellton, AZ.

The trooper noted indicators of criminal activity during the stop, and a drug detection canine was deployed and alerted to the vehicle. During the ensuing vehicle search, troopers discovered approximately 109.4 pounds of suspected fentanyl pills concealed within the vehicle.

The suspect driver, 21-year-old Juan Jose Rivera Jr., a resident of Phoenix, was arrested and booked into the Yuma County Jail on charges including possession and transportation of a narcotic drug for sale.

The estimated street value of the fentanyl pills seized is approximately $1.9 million.