Illegal immigrant allegedly caught hauling enough fentanyl to kill entire state twice over

An illegal immigrant was stopped for speeding in rural Nevada and found with a large quantity of fentanyl and methamphetamine, federal authorities said.

Francisco Joel Garcia Farias, 26, was pulled over on U.S. Highway 93 near Ash Springs on October 13. A Lincoln County sheriff’s deputy initiated the stop, and a narcotics detection dog alerted on the vehicle.

A search of the pickup truck uncovered 13 large storage totes. Inside were approximately 30 pounds of suspected fentanyl and 677 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, for a combined total of more than 700 pounds.

The fentanyl was packaged in 13 brick-shaped bundles. The methamphetamine was vacuum-sealed in 187 packages of a white crystalline substance. Field tests indicated the presence of both drugs.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah said the 14 kilograms of fentanyl alone represented roughly seven million potentially lethal two-milligram doses. That quantity, she said, was “enough to kill more than twice the population of Nevada.”

Chattah added that the combined haul carried an estimated street value of about $2 million. “These staggering quantities reflect a blatant disregard for human life, driven purely by profit,” she stated.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said anyone who plans to release fentanyl onto American streets will be prosecuted. He credited local and federal officers for removing the drugs from circulation.

Homeland Security Investigations executive associate director John A. Condon called the seizure an “extraordinary threat to public safety.” He noted the coordination between HSI, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Lincoln County Sheriff Derek Foremaster said the case showed the threat illicit narcotics pose to rural communities. He praised the deputies for proactive traffic enforcement and the use of a trained K-9.

Garcia Farias faces federal charges of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Each count carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison if convicted.

The Justice Department identified him as an illegal immigrant. The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations and local partners under the Homeland Security Task Force.

Officials described the volume as consistent with trafficking by transnational criminal organizations. No further details about the suspect’s entry into the United States or prior record have been released.

The traffic stop occurred on a rural highway, and the large quantity was discovered without additional pursuit. The case remains pending in federal court in Nevada.