UTAH — Utah Highway Patrol troopers seized 236 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop near Springville Monday with an estimated wholesale value of $1.5 million and a street value of between $7 million and $15 million.
The drug bust is believed to be the biggest meth bust in Utah history.
At approximately 3 p.m. Monday, law enforcement officials received a tip about a Ford F-150 that was possibly traveling through the area, according to the Utah Highway Patrol. A trooper spotted the vehicle and pulled it over for a signal violation.
The truck was occupied by three men identified as Brennan Carter Tutt, 24, of Airdrie, Alberta, Canada; Kyle Carson Taylor, 19, of Calgary, Canada; and Caicedo Ramirez Santiago, 20, of Calgary, Canada.
UHP narcotics K-9 Diesel was deployed around the truck and alerted to the presence of drugs in the bed of the truck, Highway Patrol officials said.
During a subsequent search of the truck, authorities located boxes and suitcases containing 236 pounds of methamphetamine along with steroids and $66,000 in cash.
Tutt, Taylor and Santiago were arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail Monday for suspicion of drug distribution. The three men were charged Tuesday in U.S. District Court with methamphetamine possession with the intent to distribute.
“Each of the vehicle occupants denied their own knowledge of the methamphetamine, but state that they believed that others in the vehicle knew about the narcotics,” according to the federal Complaint filed Tuesday.
The three men also gave authorities inconsistent stories about their recent activities, the Complaint stated, including conflicting information about specific beaches they had visited in California.
In August, detectives with the Unified Police Department seized 68 pounds of methamphetamine found in a suitcase in the trunk of a car traveling on Interstate 15. The seized drugs had an estimated street value of at least $2 million which, at the time, was believed by officials to be the largest meth bust in Utah history.
READ MORE: Officials seize over $2 million worth of drugs in largest meth bust in Utah history
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Going to have to hold a fundraiser for all them meth heads that won’t get their orders. Fundraiser#reallifeneedsmentalhygiene
They failed to mention the tip came from the DEA because cops don’t listen to regular ole civilian folks.
Hiya ladybug ♡♡♡♡♡ . it doesn’t matter to me who made the bust. I’m just glad it’s off the streets . you got your Xmas shopping done yet ?
HaHa Dot. There are no Christmas presents this year. I bought myself a brand new kitchen- gutted the whole thing and rebuilding. So no Christmas or birthday presents or Halloween candy. But we have thanksgiving everyday 🙂
Well maybe you can still celebrate national dress like a penguin day . LOL !
LIQ