Maricopan among 5 accused of drug smuggling

Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies stopped two vehicles near Stanfield at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday and arrested five persons on suspicion of smuggling drugs.

Deputies also seized 170 pounds of marijuana from one of the vehicles.

“A deputy saw two vehicles traveling together at a high rate of speed on Highway 84 northbound from Interstate 8,” Sheriff Paul Babeu said. The first vehicle was stopped on Clayton Road at Amarillo Valley Road. When the car stopped, one person fled into the desert. The driver stayed with the car, which was found to contain four bales of marijuana. The driver of the first car stopped was identified as Omar Garibay Lara, a 24-year-old resident of Maricopa.”

The second vehicle was stopped nearby on Clayton Road by a second deputy. Four people in that car were detained without incident. The driver of the second vehicle was identified as Jesus Jimenez, an 18-year-old Tempe resident. The other three occupants of the vehicle were identified as Mexican nationals who allegedly admitted to illegally crossing the U.S./Mexico Border 10 days prior.

All five suspects are being held in the Pinal County Jail awaiting charges for drug smuggling and related charges.