From Deseret News archives:

Big drug bust in Payson

Police find meth, cocaine at house of undocumented alien

By Jesse Hyde

Deseret News

Published: Friday, Dec. 3, 2004 12:13 a.m. MST

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PAYSON — A 22-year-old man who police say is a drug dealer with direct connections to manufacturers in Mexico was arrested Wednesday for investigation of distributing and trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in Utah County.

The bust, which officers called "significant," was the result of an undercover operation conducted by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force that targeted Miguel Trujillo, an undocumented alien from Mexico who police say bought drugs directly from his homeland and then sold them in Utah County through drug runners.

"Meth and cocaine are sold in grams, so anytime you catch someone with ounces or pounds, it's a significant bust," said Task Force Lt. Mike Forshee. "This was a distributor."

Forshee said the group was responsible for bringing a substantial amount of drugs into Utah County.

Police also arrested Cesar Contreras, 27, who they say was a drug runner for Trujillo. He also is undocumented.

The undercover operation, which also included operatives from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, started with the purchase of meth from Contreras in the Provo area. Officers then followed Contreras back to Trujillo's house to determine the identity of his supplier, Forshee said.

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Once they had determined the location of the distributor, they called Contreras again to order more drugs. The man was pulled over in Provo while on his way to make the delivery and arrested. Police say they found 4 ounces of meth in the vehicle, hidden under a car seat occupied by the man's 2-year-old son.

At the same time, police were serving Trujillo with a search warrant at his house in Payson, 354 S. 400 West. They say they found an additional 3 pounds of meth there, as well as 10 ounces of cocaine and three guns. The street value of the narcotics seized totaled about $170,000.

Contreras was booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of distribution of methamphetamine. Trujillo was booked for possession of meth with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a weapon by a restricted person.

The undercover investigation was conducted by Utah County Major Crimes officers, Payson Police and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

E-mail: jhyde@desnews.com