K-9 aids Ariz. sheriff’s office in traffic stop drug bust that netted 70,000 suspected fentanyl pills

After a traffic stop near Flagstaff, the Cococino County Sheriff’s Office performed a vehicle search; the agency’s K-9 unit uncovered more than 17.5 pounds of suspected fentanyl

January 17, 2026 07:00 AM

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The Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A traffic stop on Interstate 17 south of Flagstaff resulted in the seizure of approximately 70,000 suspected fentanyl pills, according to a press release from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).

The stop occurred on Friday, Jan. 9, shortly before 10 a.m., near the Kelly Canyon Road Exit. The CCSO K-9 Unit received consent to search the vehicle and reportedly found 17.58 pounds of suspected fentanyl.

The driver of the vehicle, 36-year-old Angel Salgado-Chavez, was arrested and booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility for transportation of narcotic drugs for sale. That offense is a Class 2 felony in Arizona. State law also specifies that transporting more than 200 grams of fentanyl (about half a pound) in a motor vehicle carries a mandatory prison sentence of five to 15 years.

No additional information was immediately available.

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