Newport Beach Officers Uncover Concealed Firearm and Illegal Pills During Traffic Stop
NEWPORT BEACH, CA — “Just before 7:00 p.m. on January 13, 2026, our Dispatch Center received a call reporting a vehicle swerving across lanes. Officers quickly located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. What began as a reckless driving investigation quickly escalated.
During the stop, officers discovered the driver was carrying a concealed firearm in his waistband without a valid permit. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed additional ammunition and illegal narcotics. What may have appeared to be an ordinary prescription bottle was anything but — officers immediately recognized that the pills inside did not match the medication listed on the label, an important detail that can easily go unnoticed without proper training and experience.
The driver was arrested on weapons and drug-related charges, and the vehicle was towed.
What started as a call about unsafe driving ended with a significant arrest.”
