3 arrested, marijuana and $36K seized

Department of Public Safety officers arrested three men and seized over 1,700 pounds of marijuana and $36,100 in cash during two separate traffic stops on Oct. 4.

One man was arrested after an officer stopped his truck heading north on Interstate 17 near New River, at about 8 p.m. Oct. 4.

The truck was carrying electronic equipment, but an officer reportedly saw wooden crates in the truck that were not consistent with the rest of the load. Inside the crates, the officer found 1,728 pounds of marijuana. The Department of Public Safety said a Phoenix police canine unit assisted in seizing the drugs.

The driver, 44-year-old Nevin Charles Blake, then tried to bribe two Department of Public Safety officers, DPS spokesman Bart Graves said.

Blake, a Canadian citizen living near Atlanta, was arrested and could face multiple charges, including possession of marijuana and attempted bribery of a public official.

Five hours earlier, two men were arrested after an officer stopped them on Interstate 10 near Picacho Peak for reportedly failing to signal, according to a Department of Public Safety press release.

During the stop, the officer found two handguns concealed under the passenger seat, along with $36,100 cash inside a box in the vehicle. Officers seized the weapons, money and vehicle, a 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche.

The men, Orlando Mendoza Saucedo and Gabriel Alderete, both 20 years old and from Phoenix, could face charges of misconduct involving weapons. Saucedo was also cited for driving a suspended license, Graves said.