A routine traffic stop in Sacramento County led to a significant drug bust over the weekend. Detectives from the District Attorney’s High Enforcement Action Team (REACT) observed a Toyota Camry being driven with several traffic violations, which prompted them to pull over the vehicle. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office detailed the events on their social media, noting that a K9 officer named Toby, specifically trained in narcotics detection and part of the REACT team, signaled the presence of drugs. This led investigators to uncover hidden compartments in the car that contained 121 pounds of crystal methamphetamine.
Fernando Garcia, a 34-year-old resident of El Monte, CA, found himself under arrest following the discovery. With the floor of his vehicle housing the illicit substances, Garcia now faces charges related to narcotics trafficking. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office shared, “Detectives conducted a traffic stop, and El Dorado County Sheriff’s narcotics-trained K9 Toby (also assigned to REACT) alerted investigators to the odor of narcotics.”
The case has since been handed over to the Sacramento Area Intelligence Narcotics Team (SAINT) and the California Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team (Cal-MMET) for further investigation. Garcia is presently booked in the Sacramento County Main Jail while he awaits his day in court. This arrest underscores the ongoing collaboration within the REACT initiative, consolidating efforts from respective offices, including the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office, and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.
