At approximately 11:44 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop at Interstate 40 at milepost 264, east of Winslow. During the traffic stop, K-9 Zolton performed a free-air sniff of the vehicle and received a positive alert, resulting in a search of the vehicle that revealed a firearm over 50 pounds of methamphetamine, and more than 58,000 M-30 fentanyl pills. The estimated street value of the drugs is over $2.3 million. Ruben Jose Blanco, 23, Cesar Noe Valdez-Guerrero 23, and Jose Valentin Zains 27, all of Phoenix, were arrested for transportation of dangerous drugs for sale, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, transportation of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of a narcotic drug for sale and possession of a narcotic drug. Blanco was also charged with possession of a firearm during a drug offense. All of the suspects were booked into the Navajo County Jail.
