Within a week in August, two Wisconsin men and two California women were arrested in separate drug-related incidents in Payson. Between them, according to law enforcement, the four were carrying more than 30 pounds of suspected fentanyl – in one case with a reported street value of approximately $1.5 million.

In the first incident, on State Route 87 on the evening of the 10th, Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers located around 10.4 pounds of suspected fentanyl pills in a vehicle. During a traffic stop for a non-moving violation, according to a DPS press release, a trooper “observed indicators of criminal activity” and called for a Gila County Sheriff’s Office deputy and canine. The canine reportedly alerted to the vehicle, a Mazda SUV, leading to a search that discovered the suspected drugs. Guns were also seized from the Mazda; a stolen Kimber  handgun and a pair of illegally modified, fully automatic Glocks.

The vehicle’s driver, Kendale Aldridge, 22, of Madison, Wisconsin, and front seat passenger, Anthony Spight, 39, of Green Bay, were arrested and booked into the Gila County Jail. They face charges of possession of a narcotic drug, possession of a narcotic drug for sale, transportation of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, three counts of manufacture/possession/sale of a prohibited weapon, three counts of possession of a weapon in a drug offense, possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, and failure to admit carrying a deadly weapon. Additionally, Spight was booked on a Wisconsin felony warrant.

On the night of August 16, another traffic stop on SR 87 led to the seizure of suspected fentanyl that would have a street value of just over $1.5 million. Two women from Barstow, California – Karina Perez Castaneda, 22, and Rosa Arias Rosales, 36 – were arrested and booked into the Gila County Jail. This time the Gila County Drug, Gang and Violent Crimes Task Force conducted the stop; again there were reportedly signs of criminal activity. An investigation by the Task Force, working with the Sheriff’s Office and the Tonto Apache Police Department, found the drugs inside a hidden backpack in the vehicle. Approximately 49,500 M-30 pills laced with suspected fentanyl and 22.88 pounds of suspected fentanyl powder was seized.

Castaneda and Rosales face charges of possession of a narcotic drug, possession of a narcotic drug for sale, transportation of a narcotic drug for sale, and possession of drug paraphernalia.