GASTON CO., N.C. — A 54-year-old man from Mexico was arrested and sentenced to over 8 years in prison after being caught trafficking carfentanil in Gaston County, authorities say.
On May 1st, 2020, officers in Gaston County conducted a traffic stop on the car Miguel Angel Gonzalez-Perez was driving.
Over the course of the traffic stop, law enforcement found more than two kilograms of carfentanil hidden inside a shoebox in the car.
The approximate street value of the carfentanil seized was $175,000, according to a news release.
The DEA says carfentanil is a synthetic opioid generally used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and other large mammals. Carfentanil is approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
Court records show that Gonzalez-Perez had traveled to Atlanta to get the carfentanil and was headed back to Western North Carolina when he was caught.
On November 16th, 2021, police say Gonzalez-Perez plead guilty to possession with intent to distribute carfentanil and aiding and abetting.
The DEA and Gaston County Police investigated this case.