Men arrested for trafficking meth after causing scene at T-Mobile

RIO RANCHO — Ben Encinias, 43, of Las Vegas, was arrested Dec. 4 for trafficking meth near T-Mobile on NM 528.

The T-Mobile manager reported a hostile customer, saying he and a sales associate were trying to process a return and when the man got agitated. He left the store before police arrived, but they were able to find Encinias in the car he left in.

As police were speaking with him, they saw a clear plastic bag in the center console that the officer believed was associated with drug possession. When all the passengers got out of the car, they saw a burnt straw in one of the seats, which helped confirm that suspicion and led to a vehicle search.

During the search, police also found 89 clear plastic bags in one large plastic bag, a weighing scale and 13.58 grams of meth in a separate bag, indicating intent to sell.

Trafficking can result in up to 15 years in prison.