Ventura narcotics task force seizes 56 pounds of methamphetamine in Fillmore Friday

FILLMORE, Calif. – The Ventura County Combined Agency Team (VCAT) arrested a 32-year-old man in Fillmore and seized 56 pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of dollars of suspected drug proceeds on Aug. 18.

Detectives assigned to the Ventura County Combined Agency Team made the arrest and seizure after concluding an investigation into a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation of bulk quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine detail Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

According to Ventura County Sheriff's Office, VCAT learned that the drug trafficking organization smuggled the liquid form of methamphetamine into the United States and then converted it into a solid 'crystal' form.

Once crystallized, the methamphetamine is then transported in bulk to wholesale distributors located in the greater Los Angeles area, including Ventura County, detail Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

On Aug. 18, VCAT developed information indicating a large shipment of crystallized methamphetamine was destined for Fillmore relay Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

According to Ventura County Sheriff's Office, VCAT observed a 32-year-old Downey resident in a blue Honda SUV in the McDonald's parking lot in the 900 block of Ventura Street in Fillmore. Contact was then made with the solo driver who was detained on the scene and a K-9 unit began a search of the SUV.

The K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle and during a search, investigators discovered around 56 pounds of methamphetamine in a cardboard box in the rear cargo area as well as several thousand dollars of suspected drug proceeds, multiple cell phones, and several grams of cocaine detail Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

The driver was transported and booked into Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility following the discovery relay Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Ventura County Sheriff's Office estimated the street value of the seized narcotics at $1.2 million.

VCAT is a task force of Ventura County regional law enforcement agencies working alongside Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) created to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations responsible for the introduction of bulk quantities of narcotics into Ventura County.