LEWIS COUNTY, Wash. — Officials with the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team say they found 24 pounds of methamphetamine during a recent traffic stop in Lewis County.
Police said they pulled over a van on I-5 North after seeing that a female passenger had a baby on her lap in the front seat, clearly unrestrained.
Police said the van was rented out of California and was being driven by Gabriel Angel Diaz-Noriega, a resident of Mexico.
According to police, a K-9 unit was deployed after the people inside the van appeared nervous and gave different stories.
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Police said the K-9 gave a positive alert and they obtained a search warrant for the van.
While searching the van, police said they found a non-factory compartment in the floorboard which contained what later weighed out to be 24 pounds of methamphetamine.
Police said a passenger, identified as California resident Norberto Becerra, was seated above the methamphetamine.
Becerra later explained in an interview that the drugs were supposed to be delivered to a person in Washington, police said.
The woman who was riding in the passenger seat and three small children were released.
Police said Becerra and Diaz-Noriega were booked into the Lewis County Jail and both had bail set at $100,000.
Police said Becerra had posted bail and had a hearing scheduled for Thursday.
JNET is made up of members of the Centralia Police Department, the Chehalis Police Department, the Washington State Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Agency.