CHP Seizes $400K of Cocaine in Fresno County I-5 Traffic Stop

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 1 year ago on

May 22, 2024

A traffic stop on I-5 in Fresno County led to the CHP seizing $399,000 worth of cocaine and arresting a suspect. (Instagram/CHP Central Division)

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A traffic stop by a California Highway Patrol K-9 sergeant on Interstate 5 in Fresno County led to the seizure of approximately 11 pounds of cocaine valued at nearly $400,000.

The incident resulted in the arrest of 38-year-old Juan Manuel Castillo Barajas of Ceres, the CHP reported on its Instagram account.

At 7 p.m. on Friday, May 17, authorities said the K-9 sergeant pulled over a 2015 Toyota Tacoma for a traffic violation on northbound I-5 at Nees Avenue.

During the stop, the sergeant suspected the driver was involved in criminal activity, prompting a vehicle search. The search uncovered a gym bag containing the cocaine. Barajas was subsequently arrested.

The case was handed over to the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team, a collaborative effort involving the FBI, the California Department of Justice, the CHP, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, and the Fresno, Madera, and Kings counties sheriff’s offices, along with the Fresno Police Department.

Barajas faces charges of possession of cocaine for sale and transportation of cocaine across noncontiguous counties.

Barajas was booked into Fresno County Jail.

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Anthony W. Haddad,

Multimedia Journalist

Anthony W. Haddad, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with his undergraduate degree and attended Fresno State for a MBA, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.