Modesto man indicted in 61-pound cocaine case
A Modesto man has been indicted on federal charges after authorities say they found 61 pounds of cocaine in his car during a traffic stop in Madera County.
Manuel Rodriguez Diaz, 41, was charged with possessing more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced Monday.
According to court documents, Diaz was pulled over by law enforcement officers on July 10 while driving north on Highway 99. Officers searched his car and found 16 individually wrapped packages of cocaine, weighing a total of about 27.65 kilograms (61 pounds).
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative targeting drug trafficking and organized crime.
The investigation involved the California Highway Patrol, Madera Police Department, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team, the Madera County District Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
If convicted, Diaz faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
