4 pounds of illegal narcotics recovered in routine traffic stop in Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Santa Barbara police arrested two suspects on multiple charges during a traffic stop in Santa Barbara on Monday evening.
At around 6:20 p.m., Santa Barbara police conducted a traffic stop on a car on the 4000 block of Calle Real after observing the driver not wearing a seatbelt.
The police officer identified the driver as a 28-year-old Buellton man. The man told officers that he did not have a valid license and police were able to confirm it. Officers then asked if the passenger, identified as a 25-year-old Santa Barbara woman, was licensed and if they could take the car into custody to avoid it being towed.
The officer ran a check of the woman's driving status and found that she had a warrant for her arrest.
In the officer's additional investigation, they found that the Buellton man also has three active warrants for his arrest and was on active parole.
Both were taken into custody.
During their booking, the Buellton man was found in possession of narcotics.
Police investigators performed a search of the car and found over four pounds of illegal narcotics including methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, suboxone, clonazepam and oxycodone.
Investigators also found a loaded 9mm handgun and a replica firearm that looks identical to an actual handgun in the car.
The car was then impounded.
The Buellton man was charged with felon in possession of a handgun, possession of a controlled substance for sales, transportation of a controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine for ammunition, use/manufacture of a false compartment concealing illegal narcotics, entering a government facility with contraband along with the warrants.
The Buellton man is being held without bail.
The Santa Barbara woman was charged with possession of narcotic paraphernalia, possession of drugs without a prescription and her warrant.
She is booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail with a bail amount of $50,000.
