New Mexico Drug Bust: Couple Arrested at Hotel with $1 Million in Narcotics

Hotel Room Drug Bust

• 🎯 Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, investigated a hotel room after a vehicle check revealed a guest with a felony warrant for robbery.
• 💡 Upon approaching the room, officers encountered Merena Perez, who had an active warrant, and Xavier Garcia, who was also present.
• ⚠️ Officers noticed drug paraphernalia and a firearm in the room, leading to Garcia's detention for drug paraphernalia.

Suspect Flees, Drugs and Weapons Discovered

• 🏃‍♂️ Xavier Garcia attempted to flee from officers, leading to a pursuit.
• 🚨 During the search of the hotel room, officers discovered a large quantity of suspected drugs, multiple firearms, and a significant amount of cash.
• 💰 Investigators later found four firearms, over $47,000 in cash, and substantial amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin.

Estimated Value and Arrests

• 📈 The street value of the seized narcotics was estimated by police to be over $1 million.
• ⚖️ Merena Perez was taken into custody for her outstanding robbery warrant.
• ⛓️ Xavier Garcia was arrested for resisting or evading arrest and drug trafficking charges.

Legal Proceedings

• 📄 Court records indicate that Xavier Garcia's resisting charge was dismissed, and he pleaded not guilty to the drug trafficking charges.
• 🧑‍⚖️ Merena Perez pleaded not guilty to her robbery charges, and neither faced charges related to the drug bust.
• 🗓️ Both individuals are scheduled to return to court in the summer.