Traffic stop leads to huge heroin, meth seizure

Grant County Sheriff’s Office/courtesy photo A large amount of drugs, guns and other items were seized as a result of an Oct. 5 traffic stop in Moses Lake.

by Richard Byrd
| October 19, 2017 1:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — An Oct. 5 traffic stop in Moses Lake has led to a large seizure of drugs that have a combined street value of $1.2 million.

Grant County’s Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (INET), which consists of detectives from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department, Ephrata Police Department and Washington State Patrol, recently served warrants on homes and storage units around the county.

The warrants stem from the traffic stop in which José Miranda Jimenez, 27, of Quincy, was taken into custody. Seized as a result of the traffic stop were almost five pounds of heroin and three pounds of methamphetamine. Miranda Jimenez is currently facing charges in U.S. District Court of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.

Miranda Jimenez’ arrest led to INET serving seven additional search warrants, which yielded 25 additional pounds of meth, seven pounds of heroin and 40 pounds of processed marijuana, which have a combined street value of $1.2 million. Also recovered were nine guns, two of which were found to have been stolen, ballistic body armor, a money counter and a metal detector.

Twenty-seven-year-old Moses Lake resident Maria Chavez Diaz was arrested during the serving of the warrants.

“This is huge. In fact, it’s the largest drug seizure in the history of INET,” Sheriff Tom Jones said. “Moses Lake Police Department’s proactive traffic enforcement program that yielded the arrest of José Miranda was a significant contributor to the subsequent warrants and seizures. Well done, INET and MLPD. Together a tremendous amount of illegal drugs are out of our community.”

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.