Kentucky Police Find 55 Pounds of Meth Disguised as Christmas Gifts

Credit: Jeffersontown Police Department

According to a Monday press release from Kentucky’s Jeffersontown Police Department, 23-year-old Jacob Talamantes was arrested after police seized more than 55 pounds of suspected methamphetamine disguised as Christmas presents from his possession.

“Jeffersontown Police play the Grinch,” boasted the police’s press release. According to them, Talamantes’ arrest happened on Monday just outside of Louisville, “during a narcotics investigation” in collaboration with the Kentucky State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Police add that Talamantes “arrived in a vehicle” before detectives confronted him. He then “attempted to walk away from officers but was detained.”

“A police K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics during an exterior sniff of the vehicle,” continued the press release. Police found “multiple boxes wrapped in Christmas paper” in the trunk, all containing “suspected methamphetamine.” Talamantes, a Nebraska native, allegedly told investigators he was coming from Iowa with the intent to traffic the drugs.

Credit: Jeffersontown Police Department

Talamantes was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. Per police, “additional charges are possible as the investigation continues.”

“No amount of festive wrapping can disguise the harm these drugs inflict on families and communities,” read a statement from Jeffersontown PD Chief Richard Sanders. “The coordinated efforts of partner agencies ensured these holiday-wrapped packages never reached the streets.”

In July, Kentucky State Police announced the successful completion of Operation Summer Heat 2.0 — a drug bust that led to 197 arrests and the seizure of 3,002 grams of fentanyl, 1,176 grams of cocaine, and 6,046 grams of methamphetamine. Heroin, fentanyl, and hallucinogens were also found, along with 82 firearms, $181,381 in cash, and $200,000 worth of stolen property.

According to reporting by ABC’s WBKO, “the estimated street value of the drugs collected [in July] exceeds $640,000.”

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