Riverside County sheriff’s investigators lose 60 pounds of meth in failed drug sting

By BRIAN ROKOS | brokos@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
PUBLISHED: April 21, 2023 at 12:16 p.m. | UPDATED: April 21, 2023 at 12:43 p.m.

A suspected drug trafficker made off with almost 60 pounds of Riverside County sheriff’s narcotics investigators’ methamphetamine by fleeing after an undercover sting on Wednesday, April 19, and now the Sheriff’s Department is scrambling to get its drugs back.

The department has not disclosed where this mishap took place or what it is doing to recover the drugs. No new information was available Friday, said Sgt. Deirdre Vickers, a department spokeswoman.

Special Investigation Bureau deputies set up the sale to identify traffickers, a sheriff’s news release said. They met with the suspect at 4 p.m. to sell him 27 kilograms of methamphetamine.

“After the transaction, the suspect drove away and deputies from the Gang Task Force attempted a vehicle stop. The suspect failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated. Due to the high speeds and the suspect’s disregard for public safety, deputies lost sight of the vehicle,” the news release said.

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