CHP finds 15 pounds of alleged meth in hidden compartment during traffic stop near Mendota

A San Bernardino County man was arrested last week after a California Highway Patrol officer and K-9 dog officer located around 15 pounds of meth during a traffic stop in Fresno County.

Merced area CHP Officer Eric Zuniga said at about 5 p.m. Sept. 22, a CHP officer initiated a traffic stop on a 2010 Toyota Corolla for a window tint violation along Interstate 5 at West Panoche Road.

During the stop, the officer reportedly observed information which led him to believe the driver of the vehicle was engaged in criminal activity, according to a CHP social media post.

The officer called upon CHP K-9 “Beny” to sniff the exterior of the vehicle and the dog alerted the officer to the odor of narcotics. During a search of the vehicle, the officer located a speaker box with what authorities called a “sophisticated hidden compartment” built in.

Authorities said the access point to the hidden compartment was controlled by an electric piston. Once access was made to the box, the officer located about 15 pounds of suspected crystal methamphetamine, according to the post.

The CHP said coffee grounds were spread over the drugs in an attempt to hide the odor. The driver, identified as 44-year-old Cesar Zavala of Redlands, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and transportation of a controlled substance, according to authorities.

According to Zuniga, the CHP estimates the street value of the suspected narcotics at about $200,000.