Police find nearly 2 tons of marijuana at Tucson home
By Alexis Huicochea
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.09.2008
Two men have been arrested in connection with the seizure of approximately $2 million worth of marijuana Tuesday.
Arnulfo Vega Montaño and Guillermo Carrillo Garcia were taken into custody in connection with the seizure, according to Sgt. Mark Morlock of the Counter Narcotics Alliance — a multi agency task force.
The marijuana, which weighs approximately 4,000 pounds, was seized from a vehicle during a traffic stop and from a home on the West Side, he said.
Morlock gave the following account of the drug bust:
CNA detectives got a tip Tuesday afternoon about a white 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche that may have been involved in drug activity. Authorities tracked down the truck and began watching it.
They determined that a Nissan Armada being driven by Garcia was escorting the Avalanche and were able to pull the vehicles over near Interstate 19 and Ajo Way around 2:45 p.m.
Approximately 800 pounds of marijuana was found in the back of the Avalanche, which was being driven by Montaño. Montaño was arrested on a charge of transportation of marijuana for sale.
Garcia was arrested on conspiracy to transport marijuana for sale.
Detectives then went to Garcia’s home in the 2600 block of West Southern Star Drive, near West Starr Pass Boulevard and South Greasewood Road, where they found 2,200 pounds of marijuana in the laundry room and another 1,000 pounds in the back of another truck that hadn’t been unloaded.
Garcia lives at the West Side home. His girlfriend and two young children were home at the time.
The girlfriend is being treated as an investigative lead but was released, Morlock said. The children were not removed from her custody.
Two semi automatic handguns were also found at the residence resulting in additional charges of possession of marijuana for sale, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a firearm during a narcotics offense.
Both Montaño and Garcia remained in jail Wednesday morning.
“It appears the residence was being used to store and then redistribute large amounts of marijuana,â€