- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.
A routine traffic stop resulted in the seizure of what authorities say was nearly $10,000 worth of crystal meth on its way to Phoenix late last week.
Two people, 36-year-old Enrique Orozco and 27-year-old Vanessa Concepcion Gaxiola, were driving in a 2003 Chevrolet pickup truck west on Interstate 10 when a DPS K-9 unit pulled them over near Marana.
The two said they were driving to Phoenix, but DPS officials tell New Times the couple was acting suspiciously, which prompted the officer to ask if he could search the vehicle.
When the two said no, the officer had a narcotics canine walk around the truck.
When the dog indicated there were drugs in the car, the couple's objection to a search was noted and ignored.
Officers found an open half-full potato chip bag on the back seat of the truck and as you may have guessed, it was full of crystal meth.
"There are some smart criminals, but they aren't all rocket scientists," a DPS official says. "Our dogs are very accurate."
The officer found close to a half pound of meth.
Orozco and Gaxiola
Keep Phoenix New Times Free... Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls.
