Nevada Suspects to Appear in Court After 44 Pounds of Fentanyl Seized at Casino

Posted on: May 15, 2024, 10:59h. 

Last updated on: May 15, 2024, 11:12h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Three men are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday after some 213K fentanyl pills were found in a Henderson, Nev. gaming property parking lot.

Last Wednesday, a Clark County grand jury indicted the defendants, Jesus Aguayo, David Estrada, and Ulyses Lopez-Vazquez in connection with the drug trafficking.

Each was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance, transporting a controlled substance, and conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act.

The suspects were allegedly taking part in the handoff of the 44 pounds of fentanyl pills, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS. The pills, described by police as “M30s,” looked like 30 mg oxycodone tablets, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Last August, Henderson police officers found out suspected fentanyl was to be driven from Arizona to the casino. The destination was identified as Henderson’s Sunset Station Hotel & Casino, according to the Review-Journal.

Pills Came from Mexico

The pills originally were transported into the United States from Mexico, the report revealed.

Officers staked out the casino lot before approaching a Dodge Charger where they found the illicit drugs inside the trunk. Seated in the car were Aguayo, Estrada, and Lopez-Vazquez.

The men were arrested on August 27, and appeared in Henderson Justice Court following their arrests. Each posted a $20K bond and was released from custody. If convicted, the men could face years in prison.

A fourth unidentified person who was apparently at the casino lot to purchase the illegal drugs fled from the crime scene. That suspect was never charged.

Fentanyl is Deadly Problem

Fentanyl continues to be a challenge for health and police officials in Clark County, as well as nationwide.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) told the Las Vegas Weekly.

Last year, Clark County saw 237 fentanyl-related deaths. Clark County also saw a 97% jump in fatalities when fentanyl was mixed with methamphetamine (meth) or cocaine from 2020 to 2023, according to data from the SNHD, as reported by the Nevada Current.

One of the biggest dangers is fentanyl being mixed with stimulants because one of the drugs of choice here in Clark County, or specifically Las Vegas, is methamphetamine, as a party city,” Katarina Pulver, health educator for SNHD, told the Weekly.

“Many people are taking what they think is methamphetamine or cocaine to go out and have a good time, but it’s laced with fentanyl,” she added.