Gallup, NM –On July 31, 2020 at approximately 4:00 p.m., the New Mexico State Police conducted a safety cab inspection on a 2014 Freightliner Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) at the Gallup Port of Entry west of Gallup, NM. During the inspection, officers discovered 495 vacuumed sealed packages of Marijuana. The packages were concealed inside 20 Home Depot boxes in the trailer of the CMV. The total amount of Marijuana seized weighed 580 pounds.
The driver, Binyam Habtamu Getahun (36) of Alexandria, VA and the co-driver, Mazemr Abebe Belayneh (64) of Snellville, GA were both arrested. They were booked into the McKinley County Detention Center without incident. Getahun and Belayneh were charged with the following:
- Possession of Marijuana with intent to Distribute, 30-31-22 (A), a 3rd Degree Felony contrary to NMSA 1978
- Possession of Marijuana, 30-31-23 (A), a 4th Degree Felony contrary to NMSA 1978.
- Information from NM State Police