The Biggest Drug Busts in Utah 2023

The beehive state is swarming with illicit drugs and it's no surprise that local and state law enforcement are always keeping their eyes out.  

There were a few mentionable drug busts this year including the capture of an alleged drug lord Llobani Federico Figeroa also known as “Pablo”. Figeroa is from Magna, UT, and along with his alleged drug ring, he has also been a fugitive for his selling of methamphetamine after being indicted by a federal grand jury in 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.  

He was taken into custody just last month on Aug. 3 along with 27 other defendants. Figeroa and co-defendants were charged with alleged intention to distribute illicit drugs, possession of drugs, aiding and abetting, and firearm offenses.  

Court documents say Figeroa and co had the intention to sell 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Upon arrest, Figeroa had $300,000 in cash, 3.8 pounds of meth, 328 grams of heroin, 1.6 pounds of cocaine, and 409 grams of powdered cocaine.  

His and his co-defendants' trial date has not been set.  

Layton Man With 10,000 Pills 

Also in August of this year, a Layton man was arrested by Layton Police who seized over a pound of cocaine and 10,000 fentanyl pills. KSL reported that arresting officers said the man “had obvious drug use” and enough to be a distributable amount. The man’s intentions were allegedly to take the haul to a woman in Utah. 

Traffic Stop Leads to $500k in Marijuana 

Not too far from St. George, a man in Cedar City was stopped for speeding in March, the St. George News reported. After the officer saw suspicious bags and received a not-too-smooth answer from the driver, he called in the K-9 unit. The dogs sniffed out 282 pounds of marijuana, about half a million dollars in street value.  

Man Without License Caught with Illicit Drugs 

Salt Lake City Police Department arrested a 19-year-old male in May who had both drugs and guns on him. According to the press release, the man was stopped for a traffic violation when officers discovered he did not have a license.  

When asked to exit the car, the man was found with an illegal firearm. The man was searched, and officers seized 150 grams of crack cocaine, roughly 60 fentanyl pills, and $2,000 in cash.  

So, despite Utah’s family-friendly reputation, there is an underground scene of drugs and crime throughout the state. Perhaps it’s the proximity to Las Vegas or the ever-changing population that is the reason for this.  

These are in no way the only drug busts that occurred this year, just some of the more notable ones.