May 15,  2025 4:00 p.m. 

Wednesday evening, detectives with the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team arrested a Salem man in connection to a methamphetamine investigation.

DINT Commander Lieutenant Rick McArthur said detectives have been investigating a man they know as Enrique Gonzalez-Hernandez for weeks, regarding suspicion of him trafficking large amounts of meth into the community from the Salem area. McArthur said with assistance from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, detectives initiated a traffic stop on Gonalez-Hernandez’s vehicle on Interstate 5 southbound at milepost 136 in the Sutherlin area.

DCSO drug detection K9 Trapper was applied to the vehicle. Trapper gave the signal to his handler that he’d detected the odor of controlled substances. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 9 pounds of suspected methamphetamine hidden inside.

McArthur said Gonzalez-Hernandez, age 35, was identified through his valid Oregon driver’s license, and was arrested at the scene without incident. He was transported to the Douglas County Jail on charges of unlawful possession and unlawful delivery of meth. Bail was set at $250,000.

Upon being fingerprinted, deputies learned the man’s true identity, which is Javier Peres-Alvarado. Peres-Alvarado had been previously arrested and fingerprinted, making the connection possible through fingerprint analysis.

McArthur said the case is still under investigation.