HARRISBURG, PA — A routine traffic stop in Centre County culminated a months-long narcotics investigation and led to the arrest of a Clearfield County man accused of transporting large quantities of fentanyl and crystal methamphetamine into rural Pennsylvania, state officials said.
Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that Joseph Alvin, 41, of DuBois City, was taken into custody following the stop, which investigators said occurred after law enforcement determined he was traveling from Philadelphia toward Clearfield County with illegal drugs. Authorities allege the seizure included hundreds of bags of fentanyl and nearly one kilogram of crystal methamphetamine.
Alvin was charged with two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver and related offenses. He is being held at the Centre County Correctional Facility on $405,000 bail.
According to the Office of Attorney General, the arrest was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police Troop C Vice Unit. Investigators said the probe focused on alleged drug trafficking routes supplying smaller communities with high-volume narcotics.
During the traffic stop, troopers reported seizing 337 stamped bags of suspected fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $3,370, and approximately 907 grams of crystal methamphetamine valued at about $27,000. Authorities also recovered a radio frequency device, assorted drug paraphernalia, and multiple cellular phones.
Sunday said the arrest disrupted the alleged flow of narcotics from urban centers into rural regions of the Commonwealth, adding that law enforcement agencies are monitoring trafficking activity statewide.
The investigation remains ongoing. Additional agencies assisting in the case included the Clearfield Regional Police Department, Tyrone Police Department, Altoona Police Department, and multiple Pennsylvania State Police units, including a K9 team.
The case will be prosecuted by the Centre County District Attorney’s Office.
All criminal charges are allegations. Alvin is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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