CHULA VISTA (CNS) — A 19-year-old man and 13-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of fentanyl possession during a surveillance operation in Chula Vista, authorities said.
Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff's Office were in the area of Third and Orange avenues at about 10 a.m. Friday when they saw 19-year- old Martin Corona, carrying a heavy backpack, meet with a juvenile, according to the sheriff's office. After Corona allegedly handed him the backpack, the boy walked into a liquor store and detectives contacted him to conduct a truancy assessment and discovered the backpack contained five kilograms of powdered fentanyl, officials said.
The boy and Corona were arrested and taken to the sheriff's Imperial Beach substation. Corona, who was already on probation for felony narcotics convictions, is facing possible charges of narcotics trafficking, child endangerment and conspiracy, authorities said. The juvenile was cited and released to the custody of his parents, according to sheriff's officials. His identity was not released due to his age.
Sheriff's officials say this was part of an effort to counter cross-border narcotics smuggling in the region.
