Deputies go digging around car, find secret hiding place for 23 pounds of meth

Pulled over for a traffic stop, a 27-year-old Fresno man’s car yielded far more than a routine moving violation, according to Fresno County Sheriff’s detectives.

Investigators searched the car and discovered a hidden compartment that they said contained packages of methamphetamine weighing a total of 23 pounds.

The incident began about 7:45 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release issued Friday. Narcotics detectives stopped a 2004 Ford Mustang at Manning and McCall avenues in Selma.

During the search of the vehicle, detectives said, they found the hidden drugs.

Osmar Jimenez-Pena was booked into Fresno County Jail on felony charges of possessing and transporting drugs for sale and, yes, using a false compartment also is a crime.

Bail is set at $170,000.

No details were provided on why the stop was made or how the detectives found the hiding place.

But the release noted that “the Sheriff’s Offitce takes all tips seriously. If you are aware of any type of illegal drug activity, report it anonymously by calling the Narcotics Hotline at 800-660-1086 or email drugtip@fresnosheriff.org.”

Detectives are asking anyone with additional information about Jimenez-Pena to contact the office at 559-600-3111 or provide information aonymously through Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.

This story was originally published August 18, 2017 at 10:42 PM with the headline "Deputies go digging around car, find secret hiding place for 23 pounds of meth."