Two suspects fleeing Orange County deputies drove a silver truck through a gate at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton on June 11, triggering a six-hour manhunt. The incident, which began when the suspects fled an attempted traffic stop on Interstate 5, ended with both men in custody and 51 kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl seized from their abandoned vehicle.
The incident began at 5:40 p.m. when deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) attempted a traffic stop along Interstate 5. OCSD spokesperson Sgt. Lizbeth Gwisdalla said the driver briefly stopped before accelerating onto the installation. “Our deputies did not go in, but they let military personnel know that he was on the base,” Gwisdalla said.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) issued an immediate shelter-in-place order and mobilized approximately 30 personnel across the installation.
To locate the suspects, local NCIS agents mobilized alongside tactical elements from the agency’s Regional Enforcement Action Capabilities Training (REACT) Team to sweep the base housing area.
Both units provided real-time intelligence and tracking throughout the manhunt. Camp Pendleton, located in Oceanside, California, is the largest Marine Corps installation on the West Coast, with a daytime population reaching approximately 70,000 military and civilian personnel.
The suspects had abandoned their vehicle in base housing before fleeing on foot. Investigators found approximately 51 kilograms (more than 112 pounds) of cocaine and fentanyl inside. NCIS has not disclosed the ratio of cocaine to fentanyl in the seizure.
Additional responding agencies included the Camp Pendleton Provost Marshal’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and U.S. Border Patrol.
Both suspects were taken into custody without further incident. Their identities have not been released. Gwisdalla confirmed federal authorities will oversee the investigation, and the suspects are expected to face federal charges.
The case remains under investigation.
