Highway Aircraft Landing Leads To Drug Bust

An emergency aircraft landing on a highway in California led to a significant cocaine bust.

At a Glance

A small plane made an emergency landing on a southern California highway.
The pilot and his student passenger were arrested for drug smuggling.
Authorities found a kilo of cocaine in a backpack hidden in the brush.
The DEA is collaborating with Oceanside police on the investigation.

Unexpected Highway Landing Leads to Drug Bust

A small plane made an emergency landing on State Route 76 in Oceanside, California. The landing occurred when the pilot, Gabriel Leon Breit, reported engine trouble. Officers arrived at the scene around 1:43 a.m. and found the plane near Canyon Drive. Fortunately, both Breit and his student passenger, Troy Othneil Smith, were uninjured.

However, the emergency landing quickly turned into a major drug bust. Authorities saw one of the men hiding a backpack in the brush alongside the highway. Upon inspection, police found a small amount of cocaine on Smith. A further search of the backpack revealed another kilo of the drug. Both men were promptly arrested and charged with drug trafficking.

Two California residents onboard a small plane leaving Mesa were arrested Thursday morning after officers discovered a kilo of cocaine inside a backpack they discarded after an emergency landing. https://t.co/DP5N9G16my

— 12 News (@12News) September 27, 2024

Details of the Flight and Arrest

The plane had an interesting travel history, having departed from Oceanside, made a brief stop in Phoenix, and then was returning to Oceanside before engine trouble forced the emergency landing. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the circumstances surrounding the emergency landing. The drug enforcement operation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration’s San Diego division working closely with the Oceanside Police Department.

“It doesn’t surprise me. I think we have narcotics coming into our country in various ways, but I think the surprising part is the emergency landing and how we came across it,” Oceanside Police Assistant Chief Taurino Valdovinos said.

The plane had stayed on the roadway for nearly half a day while investigators carefully examined the scene. Eventually, the plane was towed to Oceanside Municipal Airport around 11 a.m. There, authorities continued their investigation, yet no additional drugs were found on board.

Community Reaction and Legal Proceedings

The airplane was rented through a flying club called Plus One Flyers and is owned by Leadturn LLC. The aircraft’s owner was alerted about the emergency landing and later learned about the drug-related arrests. “You just can’t write this stuff,” the owner commented. “Unbelievable. Unbelievable that this is what people do.”

Meanwhile, Breit’s grandfather expressed disbelief over the incident, stating that it was completely out of character for Breit to be involved in such activities. Subsequently, both Breit and Smith were released on bail Thursday evening. As the investigation unfolds, the story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.