Large quantities of cash, meth, cocaine, and marijuana seized by DPS this past week

Several key traffic stops made by DPS officers this past week resulted in the seizure of $358,731 in U.S Currency, seven pounds of cocaine with a street value of $86,880, five pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of $133,000, and over 394 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $216,700.

One of the more significant cash seizures took place on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 at about 11:45 a.m. at the Burnt Wells Rest Area near Tonopah, when a DPS Officer casually conversed with a man there and noticed signs and indicators of criminal activity. A subsequent canine alert and search of the truck revealed $140,120 in U.S. Currency hidden inside the firewall of the truck cab. An additional $1,527 was found on the suspect for a total of $141,647 seized. The suspect, Javier Covarruvias Guzm, 20, of Indio, Calif. was arrested and booked into the Maricopa County Jail on numerous charges to include money laundering. The cash, the suspect’s silver 2005 Dodge Ram Pick Up and his white 2000 Polaris all terrain vehicle (ATV) were seized.

One of the more significant narcotics seizures took place on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009 at about 1:10 p.m. when a DPS officer stopped a rental motor-home traveling north on Interstate 17 near Cordes Junction for a traffic violation. The officer observed indicators of criminal activity and received consent to search the motor-home when he located two large duffel bags in sleeper area above cab of vehicle and one small duffel bag in rear closet which contained large quantities of marijuana. The marijuana totaled 109 pounds with a street value of $104,500 in Arizona. Both the driver, Richard Edward Kesek, 35, of Phoenix, Ariz. and the passenger, Jan Lysy, 37, of Chicago, IL were arrested and booked into the Yavapai County Jail on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, transportation of marijuana for sale, and conspiracy to distribute/sell marijuana. The marijuana and was seized and the motor-home was returned to the rental company.