Police seize 40,000 bags of suspected fentanyl on Pennsylvania Turnpike
More than 40,000 baggies of fentanyl were seized after a traffic stop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, authorities said.
According to the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office, Pennsylvania State Police troopers were watching traffic along Interstate 76 in Hempfield Township when they noticed a Honda HR-V making several traffic violations.
Troopers pulled the vehicle over and identified the driver as Gerard Polanco-Peralta. Throughout the traffic stop, the district attorney's office said state police noticed "several indicators of criminal activity displayed by Polanco-Peralta." Police asked to search his vehicle, and troopers said Polanco-Peralta gave them permission.
Police said they found a red bag inside the vehicle that had about 800 bricks, or 40,000 baggies, of suspected fentanyl. The drugs have an estimated street value upwards of $80,000, the district attorney's office said.
Polanco-Peralta is facing drug-related charges and was denied bail, according to the district attorney's office said.
It's the latest drug bust on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County. In August, troopers said they searched a car and found 8 kilograms, or about 17 pounds, of cocaine. A few weeks before that, police said they found 37 pounds of cocaine in another car. Both traffic stops resulted in arrests.