PROVO, Utah — A man has been arrested after 20 pounds of methamphetamine was allegedly found in his rental vehicle during a traffic stop in Provo.
Court documents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Utah said Alan Jose Elizondo Gurrola is facing a felony charge in federal court of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
On Oct. 19, a Provo Police Department patrol officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle after the driver turned right on a red light in front of the officer without stopping, court documents state.
In the court filing the officer claimed he initiated a traffic stop and “Upon approaching the vehicle, the driver appeared nervous and fidgeting,” the documents state. “The driver presented his Mexico driver’s license, car rental agreement, and passport without being asked for these items. The identifying information listed the driver as Elizondo Gurrola.”
The officer said he asked the driver when he arrived in Utah. The driver responded Monday, which was that same day, court documents said. The rental agreement however allegedly showed the car was rented two days earlier. Based on the driver’s behavior and “confusing story,” a K-9 and its officer were dispatched to the scene, the documents state.
The K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, according to the arresting officer’s statement.
Police say they read Elizondo Gurrola his Miranda rights, and he not only talked to officers, but also consented to a search of the vehicle.
“One of the bags in the back appeared heavier than expected,” court documents said. “The officer moved the blanket on top of the bag to find that the bag was filled with 20 individually wrapped plastic bags, each weighing approximately 1 pound, containing a white crystal-like substance, with a total weight of approximately 9 kilograms. The substance was field tested and returned positive for the properties of methamphetamine.”
