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Published August 16, 2026 8:56 AM CDT
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California Highway Patrol officers seized approximately 30 pounds of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of $817,200 during a traffic stop in Merced County. (California Highway Patrol)
California authorities confiscated more than $800,000 in suspected cocaine during a traffic stop this week, according to officials.
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The California Highway Patrol said a Central Division canine officer pulled over a 2025 Honda CR-V in Merced County on Aug. 12 for an alleged traffic violation.
During the stop, the officer noticed "several indicators of possible criminal activity," according to CHP.
A search of the vehicle that followed allegedly turned up a bag containing about 30 pounds of suspected cocaine. CHP estimated the drugs had a street value of $817,200.
Authorities said the driver was arrested and booked into the Merced County Main Jail on charges of possession of cocaine for sale and transportation of cocaine across non-contiguous counties.
The Merced Area Gang Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET) is leading the investigation.
CHP said an officer discovered a bag containing approximately 30 pounds of suspected cocaine after searching an SUV during an Aug. 12 traffic stop. (California Highway Patrol)
The seizure follows another major drug bust last month, when federal authorities discovered more than 1,000 pounds of cocaine hidden beneath the floorboards of a commercial truck entering the U.S. from Mexico. It was one of the largest cocaine seizures reported in Southern California this year.
According to the Justice Department, authorities found more than a half-ton of cocaine concealed beneath the floorboards of a truck and flatbed trailer at the Calexico Port of Entry along the California-Mexico border. Officials estimated the drugs were worth more than $20 million on the street.
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also reported a separate seizure last month involving more than $3.7 million worth of cocaine hidden in a shipment of cucumbers.
CBP officers at the Pharr International Bridge in Texas found 112 packages inside a tractor-trailer after a canine inspection and nonintrusive imaging scan revealed anomalies in the vehicle.
The packages contained a combined 278.88 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $3,723,654, according to CBP.
The Source: FOX News contributed to this report. The information in the story came primarily from the California Highway Patrol (CHP), which provided details about the Merced County traffic stop, the suspected cocaine seizure, its estimated value and the driver’s arrest. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
CaliforniaCrime and Public Safety
