Suspected Mexican Drug Trafficker Caught With Pounds of Fentanyl on I-5 in Oregon

Portland, Oregon- A Mexican national unlawfully living in California faces federal charges after Oregon State Police seized more than 60 pounds of powdered fentanyl during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 near Albany, authorities said Tuesday.

Jose Ivan Iribe Camorlinga, 46, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

Law enforcement said that on May 20, a state trooper stopped a vehicle registered to and driven by Iribe Camorlinga. During a search of the vehicle, two large bags containing 25 vacuum-sealed packages of fentanyl were discovered in the trunk. Authorities estimate the total weight of the powdered fentanyl at more than 60 pounds.

Iribe Camorlinga was arrested at the scene and later transferred into the custody of the Drug Enforcement Administration. He made his first appearance in federal court Tuesday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

The case is being investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul T. Maloney.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and significantly more potent than heroin. Just three milligrams—roughly a few grains—can be fatal to an average adult. The drug’s widespread availability in Oregon has been linked to a sharp rise in overdose deaths across the state.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.