Approximately 9 kilograms of cocaine were reportedly found during an early-morning law enforcement operation in Newhall on Wednesday, according to officials.
In addition to arresting the 42-year-old man on suspicion of possession, deputies have also alleged he was carrying a forged green card and Social Security card.
The reported discovery occurred around 2 a.m. in a hotel parking lot located near the Lyons Avenue Interstate 5 on-ramp, according to Sgt. Brian Shreves of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
“There were a couple of suspicious people in a parking lot at a hotel, deputies drive by, run the plate, it comes back to a different type of vehicle,” said Shreves. “So, they do a stolen vehicle investigation.”
Inside the vehicle, deputies say they found the 9 kilograms, or approximately 20 pounds, of cocaine wrapped up in nine separate plastic baggies and deputies believed the large quantity of cocaine was meant for sale.
Investigators have sent the bags to a laboratory for testing and official confirmation that it is cocaine, and those results will be submitted to the court when they become available, officials said.
Additionally, although the sole suspect arrested claimed to have a residency card showing he was from Union City, officials say he was a non-resident alien from Mexico.
The suspect, Karim Zepeda-Martinez, was arrested on suspicion of transportation of a controlled substance for sales and forgery of a government seal. He was transported and booked at the SCV Sheriff’s Station.
