On November 18, 2025, the Airport Police Interdiction Unit, located a suspicious parcel at a parcel sort facility in Maple Grove, Hennepin County, Minnesota. The parcel was going to a "Raul Cuevas" which was set to be picked up at a local shipping store in Plymouth, Hennepin County, Minnesota. After receiving a state search warrant, the parcel was opened and detectives located 2-kilogram sized bricks of a white powder substance which field-tested positive for fentanyl with a gross weight of 4.795 pounds.
On November 19, 2025, the Airport Police Interdiction Unit located a second suspicious parcel at the same parcel sort facility in Maple Grove. The parcel was also addressed to "Raul Cuevas" at a different local shipping store in Plymouth. After receiving a state search warrant, the parcel was opened, and detectives located 2 more-kilogram sized bricks of a white powder substance which field-tested positive for fentanyl and had a gross weight of 5.0 pounds. Both parcels were shipped from California into Minnesota.
A controlled delivery was attempted at both shipping stores on November 19. At approximately 11:3 A.M., a male later identified as CARLOS MELO-MARU [DOB REDACTED], DEFENDANT herein, entered into the package store and claimed the initial parcel seized by law enforcement on November 18. Law enforcement had removed many of the drugs but left inside a representative sample of the fentanyl weighing 66.7 grams. As DEFENDANT was walking away from the store with the parcel, he was taken into custody. Search incident to arrest showed the male had multiple fake Mexico ID’s including one with the name Raul Cuevas.
In a post-Miranda interview, DEFENDANT admitted to being involved in the distribution of drugs from Mexico to Minnesota and Ohio. DEFENDANT admitted he had flown in from Cleveland that day for the purpose of picking up the parcel. He admitted to picking up multiple parcels (approximately 10) both in Cleveland and Minnesota over the past few months. Each parcel at approximately 1 kilogram of drugs. He also admitted to picking up and delivering cash to Mexico. He denied any ties to Minnesota. DEFENDANT allowed investigators to look through his phone.
Between data found on his phone and DEFENDANT'S false identification, investigators have connected him to a parcel intercepted at by this same team back in August which held 10 kilograms of fentanyl which was supposed to be delivered to a store in Mankato. The quantity of drugs indicate DEFENDANT holds a high position in the drug distribution hierarchy. DEFENDANT is currently in custody.
