State police: heroin seized in traffic stop worth $1.1 million

By KVAL News Published: Aug 25, 2012 at 5:30 PM PDT
State police: heroin seized in traffic stop worth $1.1 million
Raul Mendoza (pictured) was arrested and lodged in Jackson County Jail after police seized 55 pounds of heroin from his vehicle.

ASHLAND, Ore. -- Police discovered over 50 pounds of heroin hidden in a man's SUV during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 near Ashland Thursday afternoon.

The driver, Raul Mendoza, 65 of Hillsboro, was pulled over on Interstate 5 just north of Ashland for a traffic violation. Police investigated Mendoza's Cadillac SUV after the stop was made, around 3:50 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

A police canine unit helped police discover 15 packages of heroin that were hidden inside Mendez's SUV. Mendez was arrested for unlawful possession and distribution of heroin.

Police said that the total seized heroin weighed about 55 pounds, and has an estimated value of $1.1 million dollars. Officials from the OSP Drug Enforcement Section called Thursday's heroin bust "the largest for southern Oregon in recent memory."