A police pursuit that spilled onto Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton triggered a six-hour manhunt, temporary shelter-in-place orders, and the seizure of more than 112 pounds of cocaine and fentanyl, according to military investigators.
The June 12 unraveled when deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department attempted a traffic stop on Interstate 5, the major highway that runs north and south down the West Coast, parallel to the Pacific Ocean. Authorities said the driver exited the freeway and briefly stopped before then accelerating and entering Camp Pendleton through a base gate at around 5:40 p.m.
The suspects allegedly abandoned their vehicle in a military housing area and fled on foot, prompting a large-scale search involving military and civilian law enforcement agencies. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) issued a temporary shelter-in-place order while personnel worked to locate the suspects.
NCIS said approximately 30 personnel participated in the search effort, which lasted about six hours. No injuries were reported.
The operation drew support from the Camp Pendleton Provost Marshal’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities used intelligence and tracking resources to locate the two suspects, who were eventually taken into custody without further incident.
In a statement posted after the arrests, NCIS thanked the agencies involved in the operation and credited inter-agency coordination for safely resolving the incident.
Investigators Make Major Drug Bust
NCIS described the event as a “high-stakes security breach” and said the shelter-in-place order was issued to protect residents and personnel while the search was underway.
After locating the abandoned vehicle, investigators discovered approximately 51 kilograms (roughly 112 pounds) of cocaine and fentanyl inside, according to NCIS.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed how much of the seizure was cocaine and how much was fentanyl, nor have they released the identities of the suspects.
Officials also have not announced formal charges, though authorities indicated the case will be handled at the federal level because the suspects entered a military installation and allegedly possessed a large quantity of illegal drugs.
Camp Pendleton, located in northern San Diego County, is the largest Marine Corps installation on the West Coast. The base houses tens of thousands of active duty Marines, sailors, civilian employees and family members.
Investigators have not said where the suspects were headed, whether the narcotics were intended for distribution in Southern California ro elsewhere, or whether additional arrests are expected. The case remains under investigation.
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