By Mary O’KEEFE

Glendale police found about 40 pounds of methamphetamine on Friday after conducting a routine traffic stop. The vehicle was traveling westbound on the Foothill (210) Freeway near the Lowell Avenue and La Tuna Canyon exits  at 3:10 p.m.

The officer asked the driver, Carlos Gutierrez, 36, of San Jose and passenger Andres Perez, 36, of San Jose for their identification. As one officer went back to the patrol vehicle, the other attempted to speak with the passenger. Due to the busy traffic on the 210 Freeway, it was difficult to hear Perez, so the officer asked him to step out of the vehicle, which he did.

It was discovered that Gutierrez had a warrant out for his arrest for failure to appear.

Both driver and passenger were out of the vehicle and sitting on the curb. Perez allegedly told the officer that they had been driving from Bakersfield. He had borrowed a friend’s vehicle to take fruit to a relative’s home and was to return to Bakersfield. The officer asked both Perez and Gutierrez if there was anything illegal in the vehicle; both said no.    The K9 unit arrived and began a search. This, according to the officer, made both the driver and passenger very nervous.

After an investigation, the K9 officer stated that his dog had indicated several locations in the car that needed a further look. The officers found several clear plastic bags hidden behind both the inner side panels in the rear passenger area. The bags contained a substance resembling methamphetamine. Each bag weighed about one pound.

Both men denied any knowledge of the bags. They were arrested for transportation of a controlled substance.

Both men are being held on $500,000 bail each. Their next court date is Aug. 8.

  Mary Okeefe