$2M in suspected heroin is seized

8/16/2007

A Mexican man remained in the Lucas County jail yesterday after the Ohio Highway Patrol seized heroin worth $2 million during a traffic stop on the Ohio Turnpike in Springfield Township earlier this week, authorities said.

Jose Ado Geraldo Corona-Rodriguez, 37, was pulled over in a 2000 Dodge Ram at 10:27 a.m. Monday about two miles west of the turnpike's Reynolds Road interchange for tailgating another vehicle.

A drug-detection dog alerted a trooper to 11 pounds of suspected heroin in the pickup. Also found in the vehicle were criminal tools, troopers said.

Mr. Corona-Rodriguez was charged with one count each of drug abuse and drug trafficking, first-degree felonies, and possession of criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony. Bond was set at $1 million in Maumee Municipal Court.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 21 years in prison and be fined up to $42,000.