EAGLE COUNTY, Colo. — More than 31 pounds of suspected cocaine, appearing to also contain fentanyl, was seized during a traffic stop in Eagle County on Tuesday.
The driver, Francisco Javier Silva Leon, 26, of Aurora was taken into custody and is being held on a $100,000 bond. He faces charges of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, conspiracy and child abuse, according to the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office.
An Eagle County deputy stopped Leon on Tuesday for allegedly violating multiple traffic laws. The deputy saw two children — a 6-year-old and 4-month-old — in the car and noticed one was not properly restrained.
“While addressing the traffic violation, the deputy’s training and experience led to suspicions of further criminal activity,” the sheriff’s office said.
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The deputy requested permission to search the vehicle, and called in a narcotics-certified K-9 team, which alerted to the presence of narcotics in the car. Authorities searched the car and found 14,188 grams — more than 31 pounds — of a substance that has “presumptively tested positive for cocaine, with indications of fentanyl,” the sheriff’s office said. Nearly $26,000, which investigators believe was from drug transactions, was also seized.
The Gore Range Narcotic Interdiction Team Task Force (GRANITE) was heavily involved in this case.
Anybody with information on this suspect or crime is asked to call the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office at 970-328-8500. To stay anonymous, submit your tip online to the Eagle County Crime Stoppers at www.p3tips.com.
