Identified: Fresno County Traffic Stop on I-5 Leads to $163K Fentanyl Bust

Fresno County Traffic Stop on I-5 Leads to $163K Fentanyl Bust

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 5 months ago on

January 24, 2025

A CHP K-9 unit's traffic stop on I-5 in Fresno County uncovered six pounds of fentanyl, leading to a $163,000 drug bust. (CHP)

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A California Highway Patrol K-9 unit discovered approximately six pounds of fentanyl during a traffic stop on the I-5 near Nees Avenue on Jan. 17, authorities said in a statement.

The seizure, valued at $163,000, could have resulted in over 1.3 million fatal doses, authorities said.

Uriel Hurtado Mercado, 35, of Humptulips, Washington, was arrested at the scene on charges of possession and transportation of fentanyl.

He was booked into Fresno County Jail.

The fentanyl was located with the assistance of Shei, the officer’s K-9 partner, and the case has been turned over to the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team, a multi-agency task force focused on dismantling high-level drug trafficking operations.

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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.