You said nothing illegal in the car. I asked everybody methamphetamine. >> No nothing. We have kids in here. >> Cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl pills, nothing like that. Okay. >> On May 23rd, 2022 at approximately 5:40 in the evening, a Casa Grande police officer running radar on Interstate 10 clocked a black SUV doing 80 in a 75 zone, 5 miles over the limit. The kind of infraction that most officers handle with a warning and a wave. The kind of stop that takes 4 minutes >> [music] >> and ends with both parties going about their day. But the SUV pulled over on the left side of the highway, not the right. The left. And for the officer approaching the vehicle on a busy Interstate, that decision, that small incorrect decision made by a nervous driver who had never been pulled over on a highway before. >> Got a full house in here. Hey, I'm Officer Sheran Casa Grande Police Department. Yeah, the reason I stopped you, you're going a little fast. You know what the speed limit is here? >> 75. >> Yeah, I got you going approximately 80, okay? >> Oh, okay. I'm sorry. >> All right. Do you got your license, registration, insurance? What's this? >> That's the ticket. >> Okay. Who does the vehicle belong to? It's yours? >> So So I was driving cuz she got tired. >> You don't even have a driver's license. You can't even be driving. >> It's cuz she got tired. I didn't want to, you know? >> Do you just not have a license or is it suspended? >> It's suspended. >> Do you know what it's suspended for? >> Uh for DUI. >> For DUI? That's not good. You have criminal right? >> Yeah, she got tired. I didn't want to drive, but >> When when When you When was the DUI? >> The DUI in Um, December January. >> December January, so not not that long ago. Okay. All right, here. Come back here and let's talk to me. Try to figure out what we can do for you. Okay, we'll come back over here. Why did you pull over on the left side of the road? >> I know she told me, but it's cuz I thought when you're on the highway you're supposed to pull to the left. I've never been pulled over on the highway, so I wasn't sure. But she told me right after I did I was like, "Oh my god, like I messed up." >> Okay. Yeah, look, police officer activates his lights, you always want to go to the right side of the road, okay? Um, I'm going to talk to you over here on the left side of my vehicle just because I don't want to be that close. That's good right here. You can sit right here in front of my car, okay? Thanks. Where are you guys coming from now? >> We were in, uh, Galveston going out. >> Okay. For what? >> We're visiting my family. >> Oh, yeah, your family? >> And her um, my friend's daughter, her dad is in Mexico, so she went to take him to go see him. >> The driver was 31-year-old Martha Lopez. She did not have a valid driver's license. It was suspended for a DUI in December, 5 months earlier. She was driving a vehicle she was not legally permitted to operate on a highway. She did not know how to pull over on, and in the back seat were two children. The officer was friendly. Martha was cooperative. She explained that her friend had gotten tired, [music] so she had taken over driving despite knowing her license was suspended. >> Visiting family or are you visiting >> family. >> Your family? >> No, her family. Well, so her daughter, her her dad is in Mexico. We went to go visit him, and he's my cousin. >> Oh, he's your cousin? When When you guys go down? >> Uh, Saturday. >> Saturday? How long did you guys stay down there for? >> Just till >> Who's all in the car now? >> It's just me, my friend, her daughter, and her niece. >> So, she got tired and that's why you're driving? >> She started driving. >> So, >> And I said we don't have drugs. >> What's the name of uh said it's her >> Her >> husband or boyfriend? What's his name? Luis Lopez? And you guys were down you guys were down on Saturday you stayed for two. Where you guys heading now? >> Back home. >> Where you heading now? >> Back home to Mesa. >> Mesa? Said nothing illegal in the car? >> No. >> I ask everybody uh methamphetamine? >> No, nothing. We have kids in here. >> Cocaine? Marijuana? Fentanyl pills? Nothing like that? Okay. I'm going to cite you for the criminal citation, okay? Um and you'll get a court date and a time to appear, okay, on that thing. Um this area is a a uh high drug trafficking area. I'm sure there's nothing in here. Um is it okay if I search the car? >> Um it's her vehicle. I I don't mind, but you just want to ask her if it's okay. >> Okay. Okay, since you since you gave me permission, I'm going to go talk to her real quick. >> Okay. >> Hey uh I talked to her a little bit about anything illegal in the car. She said there's nothing in the car. She gave me permission to search it. I know you're the owner of the car. >> Yeah. >> So, I'm just asking you for permission to search it. Is that okay? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Um I'll have you come back over here. We'll get everybody out. >> The officer asked the question that changes the trajectory of routine traffic stops in Southern Arizona. Nothing illegal in the car? Martha said no. Then she added four words that she believed would end the conversation. They have kids in there. She invoked the children. She used two minors in the backseat as evidence that the vehicle could not possibly contain anything illegal. As if a person who would put half a million fentanyl pills in a car would draw the line at doing it with children present. The officer asked about specific substances, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl pills. Martha said no to each one. Then the officer asked for consent to search. >> There's a gun under the passenger front seat. >> Okay. 15 >> Anything in your bra at all? >> Okay. >> transport 826 >> Yeah, that's what I thought. >> 10-4 8266 >> We're going to need 926 for evidence. >> The best thing for you is is to be honest with me, okay? So let's let's start kind of from the beginning how we got to this point and and where we're going, okay? >> Okay. >> Um it's a ton of fentanyl, okay? And it's very serious. Obviously, you know that fentanyl is dangerous, right? >> Yes. Yes. >> It's the number one threat to our country right now. People are dying every day out of it. And you're facilitating it by bringing it into this country, okay? Um let's talk about kind of how we got to this point. So you said you went down >> Yeah, I mean, I don't I don't really know anything. We just went down. Um we were there for 2 days and I mean I don't I don't know where I would even begin. >> Okay, well, your luggage is in the car, right? >> Yes. >> All right, there's a two briefcases two suitcases in the back, okay? >> A handgun concealed under the passenger front seat. Then the K9 alerted. The handler began systematically removing items from the SUV. Luggage, bags, personal belongings, and then stacked among the ordinary items one might expect to find in a vehicle returning from a family trip. >> And you came back and there's property in the car that wasn't there when you guys came down, right? Okay. So, obviously you'd have some questions. Why is there a bunch of property in the car, right? Okay, so what did you Where did that come from? >> I don't know. >> You have no clue where that came from? Okay. So, what do you think it was? >> Well, I thought it was collagen pills. I I mean I don't know. I didn't know that there was anything else in there. >> Okay, so, uh, who who picked up the collagen pills? Why why did you have them in the car? >> Um, I don't even know how they got there. >> Okay, so you obviously knew they were in there cuz you said you thought they were collagen pills, right? >> Yeah, but I don't I don't even know when they got there or anything. I have >> You don't know when they got there. And that doesn't concern that didn't concern you. >> I mean I mean honestly I didn't ask any questions. I know it's I was told but I I don't >> But it didn't concern you that you went down to Mexico for a couple days and then you came back and you have a ton of property in the car that you don't know how it got there, who it belongs to, and that it's collagen pills. >> I I honestly I saw like two bags and that was it. I didn't I don't know what else is in there. I have no idea. >> Okay. Well, uh, you're facing some serious felonies tonight. Um, possession of a narcotic drug for sale, transportation of narcotic drug for sale, endangerment. You put two kids in danger. You would agree, right? >> Yeah, I mean they're minors, they're kids, yeah. >> And not only that, like knowing now that there was close to 500,000 fentanyl pills in that car, you would understand how that would be dangerous towards those kids, right? >> Yes, of course, yeah. >> I searched one of those pill bottles and they were full of fentanyl, okay? So, let's talk about those. Cuz I gave her she gave me her side of the story and I wanted you to give a chance to give your side of the story, too. When did you guys first notice that those were in the vehicle? >> Well, we were asked like if we could bring them, but I did not know what it was in there. >> Martha Lopez and Tania Luna Solis were transported to the Casa Grande Police Department for questioning. And the collagen bottles that were supposed to look like a health-conscious purchase from Mexico in separate interrogation rooms at the Casa Grande Police Department. Two women told two different stories about the same 500,000 pills. >> [music] >> Martha Lopez maintained her innocence with the stubbornness of a person who believes that repeating a lie often enough transforms it into truth. >> Okay, so someone asked you to bring them. I don't know who asked you to bring them. >> I thought it was a family member of hers, but I have no clue. >> A family member of yours? >> No, no, of hers. >> Of hers? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, you have no clue what family member. Okay, boy, girl? >> No. No, we just like we were just chilling at the house and we were chilling. >> All right, let me start over a little bit with your story, okay? I know you guys didn't go down on Sunday, okay? Because there's what we have called the LPR readers, right? And at the border, I just looked at it and you guys came down yesterday, okay? So, don't start the conversation off lying to me because once you lie, it tells me that you know more than something, obviously. Like, how can I trust you for the rest of this conversation if you're not going to be honest with me, right? So, please, please, please be honest with me, okay? All right. So, I'll ask you again. So, you went down yesterday. Where did you guys go once you crossed the border? >> We went to a hotel. >> Okay, what hotel? >> Um City Express. >> City Express, and that was in Nogales. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, you guys knew you were there to pick something up, correct? Right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, what was the understanding when you got there? Like, take me through it. What what happened when you got there? >> Well, they somehow had an address to pick up um something, and that's why we did it over there. And >> Was that today? >> Yeah. >> Okay, so they sent you they sent her an address on her phone. >> Yeah. >> And then you got a and that's when you that's where you guys went to go pick up pick it up. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And that was so you spent the night in Nogales at the City Express. You woke up. What time did you guys pick up those items? >> I don't know. So, it was like around 1:00 p.m. >> 1:00 p.m. Okay, from the after picking them up, you guys came Where did you guys go from there? >> Straight here. >> Straight here. Okay. So, you had to have had pretty good knowledge that um what you guys were taking back was not something that wasn't collagen pills, right? >> They just said it was like a big amount of like medication and that we couldn't like report like, you know, report it online cuz we were going to get like taxed. They can't You guys can't claim all this like medication. >> The detective caught it immediately. License plate readers at the border showed they had crossed yesterday, not Saturday. Don't start the conversation off lying to me, the detective told her. Once you lie, how can I trust you for the rest of this conversation? Tania adjusted. They had stayed at the City Express Hotel in Nogales. In the morning, Martha received an address on her phone. They drove to a house. Two men began loading the collagen bottles into the SUV while Tania sat in the living room. She was told the bottles contained medication that could not be declared at the border because of taxes. She admitted she had concern that it could be something illegal. >> Because they're going to want to charge you guys taxes or that's the one like all good. >> Okay. So >> That's what my understanding was. >> Okay. So, you guys go down there. Um so, it's her connect, basically, that says, "Hey, come to this address." You know where it was in Nogales, what the address was? No. Okay, so did you drive there or did she drive you to the house? >> She did. >> Okay, so you get there um and then how does the product get into your vehicle? >> Well, they started loading it. I was just in the living room. >> Okay. So, you were in the living room of the residence and then they went outside and started loading the car. When you say they, how many people? >> Just two. >> Just two. Okay. So, then you guys uh did you You had to have had some concern, right? Cuz that's not That's not a normal, right? That's something someone would do, right? Like if I went down and someone said, "Hey, we're putting all this stuff in your car take it to America." I'd probably have pretty big concern, right? Were you concerned that it was something illegal? >> Yes and no at the same time. >> So, I think I told you what was in them, right? Yeah, so it was you have close to 500,000 fentanyl pills in your car or in your car. Okay. Well, I'm telling you that's what it is right now. So, pretty serious charges obviously you guys co-conspired to go down there to pick it up. Um The severity of the crime is pretty bad. Fentanyl is killing a ton of people. Right? The average I think it's like 250 deaths a day from fentanyl. And you guys are introducing it into this country. Is there any part of you that feels bad that >> Well, knowing what it is, yes cuz right now we're going through a case with my little sister. >> Tania said she was not sure what to do. The detective said what every person watching the body cam was already thinking, "You should have said no. This is my car. I'm not letting you do this. Now you're looking at multiple felony charges. You're looking at possibly losing your kids." Then Tania said something that revealed the tragic irony of her situation. >> Um the mother of >> My little sister. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I don't know what type of drug she's doing and that's why we're keeping her kids. >> Okay. You and your mom? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, my mom has my four nephews and >> Do you have custody of your kid? >> Yeah, I have custody of all my kids. I have no criminal record. I've never gone to court or for So >> Okay. Well, you guys didn't go down to visit family, obviously. That was a lie, right? Be honest. It was a lie, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. You went down with the uh intentions of picking up product. >> I did not know what it was. >> But you knew you were picking something up, right? So, your friend, she says, "Hey, take Like how did you guys What was the conversation like?" What she say? What made you guys come down here? Cuz we know it wasn't to visit family, so what did she tell you? >> That um if I was like going to pick something up to pick up something and I was like, "What kind of things?" And she's like, "Oh, it's some medication." >> Okay. And then you said, "Yes." >> Yeah. >> And then when you saw all these things being loaded in your vehicle, you had some current concerns. You told me that it may be something illegal or may not be something illegal. Don't you think that would have been a good time to pull out of it? To say no? >> I wasn't sure like what to do. >> Here's the deal. Um I've been doing this a long time. Um and they they may have said, "Hey, just tell if you get caught, tell them this is the story that with taxes, whatever." You knew what you were doing. >> Yes. >> You knew what you were doing. >> to be honest, I did not know. >> Okay. >> Um but >> Well, you you told me you had a concern that it could be something illegal in my car. So, you had to have some sort of knowledge that what you were doing was wrong. >> Yeah, like something was not right. >> Yes. >> But I was already like, "Okay, then what do I do?" >> Yeah. I mean, you should have said no. You should have said, "This is my car. I'm not letting you do this." You know what I mean? Like that would have been the right thing to do, right? >> Yeah. >> Now you're looking at multiple felony charges. You're looking at possibly losing your kids. Because this is something you could go to jail for a long time for. You know that, right? Well, I'm telling you this is something you could go to jail for for a long time, okay? >> Martha Lopez and Tania Luna Solis were charged with possession, transportation, and importation of narcotic drugs for sale, weapons misconduct, and child endangerment. Both women later accepted plea deals. Each received 3 years in prison. 500,000 fentanyl pills hidden inside collagen supplement bottles in an SUV [music] with two children. And standing in a Casa Grande interrogation, Rune explaining why she thought collagen bottles from Mexico were a normal thing to carry.