Package mailed from La Mirada leads to feds to significant drug bust in Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri-    A Priority Mail package with a La Mirada return address that was deemed

suspicious by federal investigators was intercepted during shipping and found to contain a kilogram of fentanyl, a dangerous painkiller that is attributed with the deaths of 20,000  in 2016 across the country.

The package was opened after a search warrant was obtained and the drug was found bundled inside an article of clothing also in the package that was addressed to an apartment in suburban St. Louis.

Two men were arrested after search warrants were served at the apartment the package was being shipped to and at a second apartment nearby where another kilogram of the drug was found.

Ruben Lopez, 27, and Jonathan Aguilar, 31, both of St. Charles, Mo., were charged in Federal Court with possession with intent to distribute.  If convicted both suspects face a mandatory minimum 10-year sentence.

Investigators state that Lopez accepted delivery of the intercepted package and was placed under arrest.  Two machines capable of creating drug capsules and a Glock semi-auto handgun were found inside the Lopez residence.

At the second apartment where the second kilogram was located officials found $19,000 in cash.

The fentanyl seized carries a street value of approximately $100,000 and was enough to make up to 1.5 million potentially deadly dosages according to a United States Attorney's Office statement.