A traffic stop east of Moorhead Wednesday revealed about 9 pounds of meth with a street value of about $400,000 hidden in the seats of a car, Clay County Attorney Brian Melton said.
The driver of the car and his passenger each face three felony drug charges carrying up to 30 years in prison, Melton said.
Nestor Orlando Camarena and his uncle, Pablo Camarena-Aguilar, were stopped by a trooper on Interstate 94 at about 9:45 a.m. Wednesday near Highway 336, according to Melton and Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Brandon Bibich.
“When the trooper made contact with them, he smelled an odor of marijuana and from there, a dog sniff was conducted,” Melton said. That led to the discovery of about 9 pounds of meth concealed in the backs of the car seats and several hundred grams of marijuana, Melton said. He called it “a very good drug bust.”
Camarena, 25, and Camarena-Aguilar, 44, are each charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and first-degree possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell for the meth. They also face a fifth-degree controlled substance charge for the marijuana, Melton said.
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Bail for the pair, who are being held in Clay County Jail, is set at $300,000, Melton said.
Camarena-Aguilar is a Mexican national and has previously been deported from the U.S., Melton said.
