Mesa police officers took $1.2 million worth of fentanyl off the street and arrested three people.
On July 4, 2024, just before 10:30am, Mesa police officers responded to a welfare check in the parking lot of 645 W. Rio Salado Parkway. The caller stated three people were in a gold Cadillac and the driver appeared to be unconscious and slumped over.
Officers pulled up to the Cadillac and as they began walking toward the car, the driver, 26-year-old Gabriel Rodriguez, immediately opened the door and ran away. Two officers ran after him and one officer stayed with the vehicle, which was occupied by 38-year-old Julian Reyes and 24-year-old Sunflower Short. The officer could see small blue pills scattered throughout the car in addition to a partially opened duffel bag containing several medium sized packages wrapped in packing tape.
Rodriguez was later apprehended and transported to the hospital after cutting his arm on razor wire while trying to flee.
After obtaining a search warrant, officers located 58 packaged bundles (over 200lbs) and two to three smaller opened bundles inside the vehicle. The packages contained approximately 750,000 M30 blue pills of illicit fentanyl, street valued at $1.2 million.
Reyes and Short were booked into jail for Possession of Narcotic Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia, while Rodrigez remains in the hospital but is facing charges of Possession and Transport of Narcotic Drugs for Sale and Possession of Narcotic Drugs when he is discharged.