UPDATE@5 p.m. (Aug. 11):
An ongoing drug trafficking investigation ended this week with the seizure of 200 pounds of marijuana, several agencies, including the Montgomery County Sheriff’s and the Ohio Attorney General’s offices, announced in a news release Friday.
The Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force, which is part of DeWine's Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, arrested three individuals, including Ana Hernandez, 35, Fernando Rivero-Hernandez, 31, and Alfonso Flores-Teran, 43. The suspects are not U.S. citizens and will be facing charges related to the investigation, according to the release.
During their investigation, task force members conducted a traffic stop on an unknown male driver and his passenger, Ana Hernandez. Upon inspecting the vehicle task force personnel found 200 pounds of marijuana in the car, the release said.
Hernandez was arrested immediately, and the male suspect reportedly ran from the scene and is still on the loose, according to the release.
Another traffic stop was conducted as part of the same investigation, and River-Hernandez and Flores-Teran were the individuals arrested at the stop. Investigators say that one of the men was trying to discard crystal meth from the car before stopping.
"The significant quantity of illegal drugs seized and arrests made in this case further demonstrates why this task force stands as one of the best examples of the effectiveness of multi-agency partnerships," said Steve Francis, special agent in charge of HSI Detroit, which covers Michigan and Ohio.
The three suspects have been federally charged by the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of Ohio. Their charges include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute.
"Law enforcement in this state will continue to aggressively pursue those bringing drugs into our neighborhoods, and this case is just one more example of that fact," Attorney General DeWine said in the release.
Officials ask that if you have tips about illegal drug activity in the Miami Valley region, contact the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force at 937-225-6272.
UPDATE @ 12:13 a.m. (Aug. 9): State troopers now say they are looking for one man who ran from a traffic stop near U.S. 35 East at I-75 that yielded suspected drugs, a patrol lieutenant with the Dayton Post said.
The lieutenant, who declined to identified by name, said a woman who was in the pickup truck when authorities stopped it now is in custody.
Troopers have seized an undetermined amount of suspected drugs, found packed in suitcases during a search of the truck.
Dayton police and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office are also involved with the state patrol in the traffic stop.
Initial reports via county regional dispatch suggested at least three males ran from the truck, bearing Texas license plates, when authorities pulled the vehicle over just after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.
UPDATE @ 11:13 p.m.:
State troopers say they have found suspected drugs, in suitcases, during a search of the pickup truck bearing Texas license plates that authorities stopped near U.S. 35 East at I-75.
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Law enforcement officers were searching for as many as three males who ran from the vehicle. Authorities were searching for one of them in the area Riegel Street, to the south and east of U.S. 35.
One person who was in the truck when authorities approached it now is in custody.
There is at least the partial shutdown of one lane on the highway because of the investigation.
INITIAL REPORT (Aug. 8)
Police are reportedly searching for a man who fled a traffic stop near U.S. 35 East at I-75, according to our crew in the area.
Initial reports indicate police had one of the occupants in the pickup truck at gunpoint and another three ran into a wooded area where the highway's intersect.
Our crew at the scene reports Dayton officers, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office are searching the truck with Texas plates.
One person at the scene is in handcuffs as crews continue to search for the other occupants.
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