The case of a Mexican drug smuggler, Maria Fernanda Granillo-Velazquez, is set for trial on November 1, 2022. Granillo-Velazquez was charged on August 19, 2022, by criminal complaint for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The complaint alleges that, on August 18, 2022, members of the Phoenix DEA East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force were contacted by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) regarding a traffic stop of a vehicle on Interstate 10 in Pinal County, Arizona. The sole occupant of the vehicle was Granillo-Velazquez. During the traffic stop, a canine trained in detecting narcotics alerted to the presence of narcotics coming from the vehicle.
PCSO deputies searched the vehicle and discovered a concealed compartment in the floorboard underneath the rear seats. The concealed compartment contained approximately 21 packages containing blue pills stamped M30.
Investigators seized approximately 36.75 kilograms (approximately 360,000 pills) from the vehicle. The Chandler Police Department laboratory confirmed a sample of the M30 pills contained fentanyl.
A conviction for possessing with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison.