Police Seize $2 Million Worth Of Narcotics After Traffic Stop: Branford Police

BRANFORD, CT — An alert Branford police officer is responsible for seizing $2 million worth of narcotics and getting them off the streets, police said. Additionally, two children were inside the suspect's vehicle at the time of the traffic stop, police said.

Police said at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday Officer Josef Herten stopped a car being operated Maria Zambrano, 20, of Canton, Ohio, along with Carlos Hernandez-Salazar, 27, of Canton, Ohio, and two children, because the vehicle had very heavily tinted windows, police said in a news release.

While conducting the stop, Herten noticed that Zambrano and Hernandez-Salazar were acting unusually nervous and suspicious, police said.

Officer Herten and Officer John Abely, who was assisting on the stop, had Hernandez-Salazar exit the vehicle. During a roadside interview with Herten, Hernandez-Salazar agreed to allow Herten to search the trunk portion of the vehicle, where Officer Herten found eight packages of narcotics inside of a duffel bag, police said.

Hernandez-Salazar was later transported to police headquarters where he was originally charged with criminal attempt for possession of narcotics and risk of injury to a minor. He was held on a $250,000 bond and arraigned in New Haven Court.

Laboratory analysis of the substances this morning determined that the narcotics included a mixture of Fentanyl and Tramadol (both opioids) with a street value of $2 million dollars, police said. As a result, at his arraignment, Hernandez-Salazar charges were increased to include possession of narcotics with intent to sell and his bond raised to $500,000, police said.

Police Chief Kevin Halloran said that he is extremely pleased about the seizure. “Our community, along with many others throughout our nation has been plagued with this extremely dangerous drug. Its use has resulted in the loss of life of many of our citizens. I’m hopeful that this good work by our officers has prevented the possibility of another opioid related death.”

Images via Branford Police Department