SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — An Arizona woman who was stopped on I-40 this week on a traffic violation is now facing drug-trafficking charges.
The Shelby County District Attorney General's Office said Adalinda Saucedo, 37, was stopped just before midnight Monday on I-40 at the Fayette County-Shelby County line.
During the traffic stop, officers found 20 pounds of fentanyl hidden in two fire extinguishers inside her vehicle.
Johnie Carter, director of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force (WTDTF), estimated that the wholesale street value of the deadly fentanyl shipment was close to $1 million.
“The task force agents are always on alert,” Carter said. “They are trained to expect the unexpected in every stop. It’s a constant battle because drug traffickers will use any method you can imagine to move their illegal drugs through West Tennessee. This seizure is another example of the ongoing battle we face.”
Just two milligrams of fentanyl can cause a fatal overdose, said Carter, meaning that the seized shipment was enough to kill more than 4.5 million people.
Carter said, the fire extinguishers were found in the trunk next to Saucedo’s overnight bag. The extinguishers had signs of tampering and agents found the 20 pounds of fentanyl packed inside.
WTDTF said the drugs were likely being taken to Monroe, N.C., from Dallas.
Saucedo is behing held in the Fayette County Jail.