GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) - Garfield County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday a drug bust earlier this month that resulted in discovering a "large amount of Hydrocodone."
The sheriff's office said in a press release that California resident Robert Newman was transporting the drug to Colorado. Newman "was associated with a rental car" at the Bair Ranch Rest Area off Interstate 70.
SPEAR - a multi-agency task force - learned Newman was part of several DEA investigations throughout several states relating to pharmaceutical theft.
After law enforcement contacted Newman on Oct. 18, they searched his rental car, discovering around 28,500 Hydrocodone pills which have a street value of $285,000, the press release said.
Because of the time involved in getting the search warrant, Newman was released. After verifying the evidence, an arrest warrant was issued. He currently remains at large, according to law enforcement.
SPEAR includes the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, Rifle Police Department, DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation is still active.