St. George K-9 ‘Emma’ helps Arizona deputies confiscate 300 pounds of drugs on I-15

With the help of St. George Police K-9 officers, Arizona deputies recovered nearly 300 pounds of illegal drugs and arrested a 30-year-old man from Sandy during a traffic stop on I-15 this week.

Mohave County Sheriff’s detectives said the drugs have a combined street value of approximately $3,696,720.

St. George Police Officer Tiffany Akin told ABC4 News Arizona deputies requested their K-9 Emma at milepost 21 on northbound I-15 near Beaver Dam/Littlefield around 3 p.m. Monday.

Police said they pulled over the driver, Logan Lewis Pederson, for being on his phone. The reason for the search? Pederson avoided eye contact with them and seemed extremely nervous.

Law enforcement says K-9 Emma quickly alerted them to the presence of narcotics, which law enforcement believes were headed north.

“We believe that the final destination was probably going to be the Salt Lake area, which obviously impacts all of Utah, “Atkin said. “So we’re happy that they didn’t make it to that destination.”

Atkin says it was a huge success for them. During the search, K-9 Emma and deputies uncovered:

• six 1-gallon jugs of liquid methamphetamine, weighing 66 pounds
• six bricks of cocaine weighing 13.2 pounds
• 2.2 pounds of ecstasy
• 1,000 packages of THC-infused candy weighing 206 pounds

Pederson was arrested and charged with dangerous drug possession, dangerous drug Possession for sale, transportation of dangerous drugs, narcotic drug possession, narcotic drug possession for sale, and transportation of narcotic drugs, all felonies. Pederson was arrested and transported to the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility.

“We love that we get to work with different agencies in the surrounding areas and be able to take drugs off the streets,” Atkin said. “Well done, by everybody.”