October 7, 2025 – Merced CHP officials report what started as a routine traffic stop on Highway 99 ended with a major narcotics seizure in Merced County.

Just after 9:30 p.m. on October 4, a CHP Merced officer stopped a vehicle north of Applegate Road. During contact the officer requested assistance from a Central Division K9 team. After a search, officers located approximately 23 kilograms of suspected cocaine hidden inside the vehicle.

Agents with the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET) responded and took possession of the narcotics. The estimated value of the drugs exceeds $900,000.

The driver was arrested and booked into the Merced County Jail on felony charges related to possession and transportation of narcotics.

Every major seizure like this one makes our community safer. The CHP remains dedicated to keeping dangerous drugs off California’s roadways and protecting the people who travel them.

Source & photos: Merced CHP