BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A significant narcotics investigation by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office and the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (KC-HIDTA) culminated in a major drug bust Monday in southwest Bakersfield.
The operation held on April 7, 2025, included a traffic stop and a search warrant execution in the 3100 block of Ashe Road, resulted in the seizure of over 26,000 fentanyl-laced M-30 pills, 15 grams of Xanax, a loaded handgun, and U.S. cash believed to be from illegal drug sales, said officials.
Eliseo Lopez, 22, of Bakersfield, was apprehended during a traffic stop on northbound Highway 99 near David Road. California Highway Patrol K-9 officers discovered several thousand fentanyl-laced M-30 pills and Xanax pills concealed inside the vehicle’s passenger compartment, according to KCSO.
Following the traffic stop, KC-HIDTA executed a search warrant at Lopez’s home, uncovering additional fentanyl-laced pills, a loaded unregistered handgun, and a substantial amount of U.S. cash, said KCSO. Lopez was subsequently booked into the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Lerdo Justice Facility on charges including possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl), possession for the purpose of sales, transportation of a controlled substance, and maintaining a residence for drug sales.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office emphasized the lethal dangers of fentanyl, noting that even a small amount can be deadly. “It’s impossible to determine the exact amount of fentanyl inside each dose because of its potency, especially when mixed with other drugs,” the department stated. “Each dose of fentanyl has the potential to be lethal.”
Authorities urge anyone with information about fentanyl trafficking or illegal drug sales to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110 or report tips anonymously online via the “Narcotics/Gang Tip” link on the Kern County Sheriff’s Office website.