Salem Man’s False Identity Unraveled as K-9 Sniffs Out Nine Pounds of Meth in Douglas County Bust
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. — An investigation into a Salem man suspected of trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in the Douglas County area ended in the arrest of Enrique Gonzalez-Hernandez by the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) on Wednesday night.
As Gonzalez-Hernandez drove into Douglas from Salem southbound on the I-5 in the Sutherlin area, DINT and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped his vehicle near milepost 136.
Trapper, a member of the Sheriff’s Office K-9 team, signaled his handler after sniffing the odor of controlled substances. Nine pounds of methamphetamine were uncovered in a search of the vehicle.
Gonzalez-Hernandez (35) was arrested at the scene without incident and transported to the Douglas County Jail where he was lodged on charges of unlawful possession and delivery of methamphetamine.
Fingerprints Reveal False Identity
Routine fingerprinting revealed that Gonzalez-Hernandez is in real life Javier Peres-Alvarado, who had previously been arrested and fingerprinted.
This case is undergoing further investigation.
DINT is a specialized drug enforcement team made up of officers from multiple agencies working together to take down drug trafficking operations.
Their focus is on identifying and disrupting drug networks that operate locally, across state lines, and even internationally. They use intelligence-based strategies and rely on strong coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors to carry out their mission.
The team gets support from the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, which is backed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. HIDTA provides funding and resources to help regional drug enforcement groups like DINT work more effectively.
DINT includes members from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Roseburg Police Department, Oregon State Police, Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Land Management.