State Trooper Uncovers Two Kilos of Fentanyl During Toll Road Stop in Portage
Portage, IN (July 23, 2025) – A routine traffic assist at the Portage Toll Plaza led to the discovery of two kilograms of fentanyl and the arrest of a previously deported felon using a false identity, according to an affidavit filed in Porter County.
An Indiana State Trooper was on duty around 7:41 a.m. Tuesday when he observed a Kia Soul with Pennsylvania plates stuck in lane 7 of the Portage Toll Barrier. The driver appeared confused and unable to pay the toll. A toll worker was seen attempting to help the man, who was out of the vehicle and seemingly unaware of how to proceed.
The Trooper exited his patrol car to assist, but immediately detected a strong odor of raw marijuana coming from the Kia. He also noted the driver’s seatbelt was improperly worn and observed a suspected marijuana rolling tray on the floorboard. The driver told the Trooper he was traveling from Pennsylvania and had lost his wallet and EZ-Pass.
After the driver was allowed through the toll to avoid further traffic delays, the Trooper initiated a traffic stop just past the barrier. The man, initially identified as “Wilfredo Morales Velaquez” via a Minnesota ID card, exited the vehicle and began rummaging through the backseat before eventually producing a wallet.
The Trooper invited the man into his squad car and used Google Translate to question him. The man claimed he had been in Philadelphia for his daughter’s birthday but gave inconsistent travel details. License and rental checks raised further suspicion, as the Kia had been recorded traveling eastbound through several states—conflicting with the man’s version of events.
The driver admitted to having a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle. During a subsequent search, the Trooper found a marijuana package and a grinder in the front of the vehicle. In the backseat area, concealed inside a shoebox within a duffle bag, he discovered two vacuum-sealed packages resembling the packaging method often used for narcotics trafficking.
A field test confirmed that one of the bricks labeled “M3” tested positive for fentanyl. The second brick, labeled “M4,” also tested positive after being taken to the Porter County evidence room.
During the stop, the man was heard on body cam footage repeatedly saying “Please God” in Spanish and appeared to make a phone call just before being detained.
Later that day, the FBI positively identified the man as German Adams Garcia, DOB 08/03/1979, a previously deported felon for narcotics dealing in New York. He was found to be using a false government ID and providing a fake identity.
Garcia was booked into the Porter County Jail and is facing multiple charges:
• Dealing in a Narcotic Drug (Fentanyl), Level 2 Felony
• Identity Deception, Level 6 Felony
• False Informing, Class A Misdemeanor
• Possession of False Government Identification, Class A Misdemeanor
• Possession of Marijuana, Class B Misdemeanor
Authorities say this seizure and arrest highlight the deadly presence of fentanyl trafficking along major transportation routes in Northwest Indiana.
