PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A suspected Portland drug trafficker was caught with over 100 pounds of fentanyl on Interstate 97 through Klamath Falls, officials say.
Jothan Barrios-Chable, 20, made his first appearance in federal court on Wednesday. He was charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court documents say that Barrios-Chable’s vehicle was stopped on Nov. 8 by a Medford police officer near Collier Memorial State Park.
“Detectives searched Barrios-Chable’s vehicle and located two suitcases, a backpack, and a small satchel. Each suitcase contained approximately 20 heat-sealed kilogram bricks of a narcotic later confirmed to be fentanyl. The backpack contained seven additional kilogram bricks of fentanyl and the satchel contained a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Further analysis determined that together the heat-sealed bricks contained approximately 117 pounds of fentanyl, including packaging,” the U.S. District Attorney’s Office said.
