Fresno County Traffic Stop Leads to 262 Pound Crystal Meth Bust

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 8 months ago on

June 28, 2024

The California Highway Patrol seized a significant drug cache including crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin worth over $2.6 million following a traffic stop in Fresno County, resulting in the arrest of Isaac Abraham Sandoval Lopez of Portland, Oregon. (CHP/Instagram)

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A routine traffic stop led to a major drug bust by California Highway Patrol officers, who confiscated more than 262 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 5 pounds of fentanyl powder, and 2 pounds of heroin, CHP reported.

The seizure occurred Wednesday on Interstate 5 in Fresno County, where a K-9 officer pulled over a 2013 Hyundai Elantra for a traffic violation.

The driver, identified as Isaac Abraham Sandoval Lopez, 36, of Portland, Oregon, was found to be unlicensed, prompting officers to conduct a vehicle inventory before impounding the car, authorities said.

Officers discovered a plastic bag containing multiple packages of suspected crystal methamphetamine on the right rear passenger floor.

Further inspection of the vehicle’s trunk revealed two large suitcases and a backpack containing additional packages of crystal methamphetamine and three packages of unidentified narcotics.

Routine traffic stop turned to major drug bust in Fresno on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (CHP/Instagram)

Sandoval Lopez was arrested and turned over to the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team, a multi-agency task force targeting drug trafficking in the region. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is nearly $2.7 million.

Sandoval Lopez faces charges that include possession and transportation of fentanyl, heroin, and meth for sale across noncontiguous counties. He 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 has an MBA at Fresno State, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.