Photo: Ford, Brad
Last Wednesday, a detective with Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement team (LINE), was traveling south on I-5, near Albany, when he encountered a 26-foot U-Haul box truck that was also traveling South. The detective became aware of a strong odor of fresh marijuana coming from the U-Haul.
The LINE detective coordinated with other law enforcement agencies and arranged for the U-Haul to be stopped. Two males were contacted in the U-Haul, both of whom claimed they were hauling furniture despite the overwhelming odor of marijuana coming from back of the vehicle. Further investigation found the truck full of large black plastic garbage bags containing marijuana. The bags filled nearly the entire back of the U-Haul. The U-Haul was secured, seized as evidence, and towed to the Albany Police Department pending a search warrant.
The occupants of the U-Haul were identified as 31-year-old Vidal Gonzlaes-Tetlctle of Hermiston, Oregon, and 20-year-old Jose Guadalupe-Alatorre, of Redway, California. Both subjects were arrested and lodged in the Linn County Jail on the following charges:
• Unlawful Possession of Marijuana
• Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana
• Criminal Conspiracy
On Friday, November 5th, members of the LINE team searched the U-Haul truck and ultimately found 2,800 pounds of marijuana in 173 large black garbage bags, as well as components of a marijuana grow. The estimated value of the marijuana was about $2.2 million.