Police Seize 40,000 Baggies of Suspected Fentanyl During Pennsylvania Turnpike Traffic Stop

Large Fentanyl Seizure Reported on Interstate 76

More than 40,000 baggies of suspected fentanyl were seized following a traffic stop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office. The incident occurred along Interstate 76, where Pennsylvania State Police troopers were monitoring traffic.

Authorities stated that troopers observed a Honda HR-V committing several traffic violations on the highway. The vehicle was subsequently pulled over by Pennsylvania State Police. During the stop, troopers identified the driver as Gerard Polanco-Peralta.

Traffic Stop Leads to Discovery of Suspected Narcotics

The Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office reported that, throughout the interaction, state police noted several indicators of what they described as criminal activity displayed by Polanco-Peralta. Following these observations, troopers requested permission to search the vehicle.

According to authorities, Polanco-Peralta granted consent for the search. During the search of the Honda HR-V, police said they located a red bag inside the vehicle. Inside that bag, troopers reported finding approximately 800 bricks, described as equivalent to about 40,000 individual baggies, of suspected fentanyl.

The district attorney's office stated that the suspected fentanyl seized in the traffic stop has an estimated street value of more than $80,000. The seizure took place along a section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County.

Charges and Legal Status

Following the discovery of the suspected narcotics, authorities said that Gerard Polanco-Peralta is facing drug-related charges. The Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office reported that Polanco-Peralta was denied bail.

Officials noted that this incident is the latest in a series of drug busts on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County. They reported that in August, troopers searched a car and found 8 kilograms of cocaine, and a few weeks earlier, police discovered 37 pounds of cocaine in another vehicle. Both of those earlier traffic stops resulted in arrests.