Nearly 100 Pounds of Meth Seized After Rainstorm Traffic Stop in Yreka, Sheriff Says

A traffic stop during a heavy rainstorm in north Yreka led to the discovery of nearly 100 pounds of methamphetamine, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.

The agency announced Friday, October 30th, 2026, that a sheriff’s sergeant stopped a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban on Thursday, October 22nd, after noticing the vehicle being driven erratically.

The driver was identified as Juan Collado Penazola, 44, of Washington.

During the stop, the sergeant noticed a small bag containing a crystalline substance on the center console near the driver, the Sheriff’s Office said.

A search of the vehicle, conducted with consent, then uncovered a large box concealed in the back seat. Inside were numerous vacuum sealed bags containing a crystalline substance, according to the agency.

The sergeant called the North State Major Investigation Team, known as NSMIT, to process the suspected drugs. Investigators’ testing confirmed approximately 45,165 grams, or 99.64 pounds, of methamphetamine, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

The agency said Penazola told investigators he had made multiple trips from Bakersfield, California, to Washington state to deliver narcotics. That account is part of the Sheriff’s Office’s allegations.

Penazola was arrested on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine for sale and transporting methamphetamine, according to the agency.

The announcement did not provide a court outcome. The allegations have not been proven in court. Penazola is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.