Drug bust on freeway prompts caution for police


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PARK CITY — After a drug bust in Summit County left them with more questions than answers, police are evaluating how to stay safe when encountering unidentified and potentially hazardous substances.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers discovered 2 pounds of a still unknown, oddly packaged drug during a traffic stop Thursday on eastbound I-80, State Bureau of Investigation Maj. Brian Redd confirmed.

Concerned about the dangers that continue to surface when police encounter synthetic opioids, the officers took the white powder to a secure lab where it came up positive for cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.

"We're not exactly sure what the substance is," Redd said, noting that continued testing will be done by the Department of Public Safety's crime lab.

Exposure to even a few grains of the opioid fentanyl can be dangerous — discovery of the drug in a Sandy motel room led to an evacuation of the entire building in June — and Thursday's bust has prompted UHP to take extra precautions to keep troopers safe.

"We're looking at changing some of our policies," Redd said. "In the past, troopers have tested (substances) on the roadside. We're looking at eliminating that option and making them go back to a controlled environment and having a second person there who can assist in the event of an exposure."

Additionally, Redd says new protective gear and equipment is being considered for troopers, State Bureau of Investigation agents and lab technicians who could find themselves handling dangerous drugs.

Troopers may also end up carrying naloxone, a powerful rescue drug that can be used to reverse the effects of an overdose, in case of exposure, Redd said.

Three men — Cristian Castro, 21; Miguel Lascas, 24; and Ryan Blair, 22 — were booked into Summit County Jail following the bust, while a male juvenile was sent to a juvenile detention center.

While police believe the drugs came from California and were bound for the East Coast, Summit County is still reeling from the suspected overdose deaths of two 13-year-old best friends last month believed to have died from taking the powerful synthetic drug U-47700, otherwise known as pink or pinky.

A 15-year-old who police believe ordered the drug online and had it shipped by mail from China was charged this week with distribution of a controlled or counterfeit substance, a second-degree felony, and reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor.

Knowing what to look for

UHP Sgt. Rob Nixon didn't speak specifically about Thursday's bust, but said when it comes to watching for drugs traversing Utah's freeways, troopers know what to look for. Sometimes something as simple as an out-of-state license plate can prompt a stop. Other times police are on the lookout for a certain vehicle thanks to public or law enforcement tips.

"As I'm talking to people and they can't answer simple questions, just about their destination and the means of how they're getting there, just simple questions, and their nervousness increases and their story falls apart more and more," Nixon said.

UHP's officers remain vigilant against any illegal activity, not just drugs, he said, noting that it is "extremely rewarding" when a potential crime is thwarted.

"We're trying to get them before they get what they're taking to that destination, because once it gets to that destination, the problem just spreads even more," Nixon said. "We understand we're not the only fix to the drug problem or any other problem. But the part that we've been asked to tackle, we think we're very aggressive and very good at."

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