2 County Men Jailed in Utah on Cocaine Charges

Two Santa Ana men were arrested when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper found 11 pounds of cocaine hidden in their car, authorities said Monday.

Ramon Pizano, 30, and Rafael Landeros Flores, 25, both of Santa Ana, were being held in the Sevier County Jail on Monday awaiting transfer to Salt Lake City for arraignment in federal court on cocaine charges, authorities said.

The pair were arrested Sunday when a trooper stopped them for speeding and subsequently found cocaine hidden in a secret compartment in their car, Lt. Dan Chidester said.

“They were stopped for speeding” on Interstate Highway 70, about 30 miles east of Salina, Chidester said. “The driver had no driver’s license and the vehicle did not belong to them. It was a consent search.”

The pair was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, authorities said, and booked into the county jail.

Sevier County Atty. Don Brown said the case was being handled by the U.S. attorney’s office, and the suspects were scheduled to be transported Monday to the capital city for arraignment before a federal magistrate.