The Modesto Police Department arrested a husband and wife with 26 pounds of heroin hidden in a diaper bag during a drug bust near Keyes on Wednesday.

The investigation by the Modesto Narcotics Enforcement Team led to the arrests of Israel Alcazar, 34, of Modesto and his wife Isabel Soto-Mandragon, 20, also of Modesto.

Around 1 a.m. Wednesday the Modesto narcotics unit stopped the couple as they were driving in the area of Highway 99 and Keyes Road. The team brought in a drug sniffing canine and the dog alerted on a box of diapers in the car, said Modesto Police spokesperson Heather Graves.

Inside the diaper box investigators found 26 pounds of heroin.

The couple had their 10-month old child in the car with them at the time of the police stop, Graves said.

The narcotics unit followed up with a search warrant of Alcazar and Soto-Mandragon’s residence in the 1600 block of Dwight Lane in Modesto. During the search of the residence, investigators located a handgun, $1,200 in cash and other evidence of drug sales.

“We know we have taken a high level drug trafficker off of the street with this arrest”, said Sgt. Kelly Rea, the supervisor of MNET. “This was a significant seizure and should really make a dent in the access to heroin in Modesto.” 

This particular Heroin was not “cut” yet, meaning it was in an extremely pure form. Once heroin makes it into California, it is typically mixed with cutting agents or substances to add weight and increase the street value. On average dealers will quadruple the weight by adding these cutting agents, Graves said.

This more pure form of heroin will sell for approximately $8,000 to $10,000 on the street. Once cut, the street value significantly increases. The 26 pounds of heroin seized in this case would have a street value of over $2.3 million.

Alcazar and Soto-Mondragon were both booked into the Stanislaus County Jail for possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance, and felony child endangerment. Alcazar was additionally charged with being armed in the commission of a felony. Child Protective Services took the 10-month old child into protective custody.