5-lb. Fentanyl Shipment Leads to Minneapolis Man’s Arrest
A man faces felony drug charges for RETRIEVING a large shipment of fentanyl, according to a recently filed criminal complaint.
Eduardo Alexander Santillan Rivera, 24, of Minneapolis, was arrested on Nov. 1 after allegedly attempting to retrieve the box containing just under five pounds of fentanyl.
The arrest came after a package was located at a UPS facility at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where officers flagged a suspicious package with an incomplete address that originated from San Bernardino, Calif. A drug detection dog alerted to the presence of controlled substances inside. Upon securing a warrant, officers found approximately 2.26 kilograms of fentanyl in the package.
Authorities conducted a controlled delivery, placing a smaller quantity of fentanyl in the parcel before surveilling the address. Shortly before noon, Santillan Rivera reportedly arrived in a black sedan, picked up the package, and attempted to return to his vehicle. Officers detained him without incident at the scene. During initial questioning, he claimed he intended to steal the package, though he later admitted under Miranda rights that he was being paid by a Mexican drug trafficking organization to deliver it.
A search of Santillan Rivera’s vehicle uncovered a small amount of suspected cocaine and two cell phones, one of which he reportedly used to communicate with the trafficking organization. According to the complaint, he revealed he had previously transported cash for the organization and expressed a desire to return to Mexico.
Santillan Rivera now faces two felony charges: importing controlled substances across state lines and first-degree sale of 10 grams or more of fentanyl. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
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