Two Oceanside residents were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of drug trafficking after their plane made an emergency landing on State Route 76, according to the Oceanside Police Department (OPD).

 

The incident occurred at around 1:43 a.m., when the plane experienced engine failure and had to make an emergency landing near Canyon Drive, police said in a statement. Despite the maneuver, both occupants of the aircraft were unharmed.

 

This isn’t something we see everyday in #Oceanside. @oceansidepd responded to reports of a small plane that landed on SR-76. Officers quickly jumped into action and luckily no one was hurt, but you can imagine the sight this was!
Here’s our press release:https://t.co/QxTqzfIyMZ pic.twitter.com/xtNUK2Laq5

— Oceanside Police (@OceansidePD) September 26, 2024

 

During the inspection of the plane, officers discovered a large amount of narcotics. Additionally, one of the occupants was seen throwing a backpack into a nearby bush, which contained about a kilogram of what appeared to be cocaine. A small amount of cocaine was also found on the passenger, said OPD Deputy Chief Taurino Valdovinos.

 

The pilot, identified as 21-year-old Gabriel Breit, and the passenger, 36-year-old Troy Smith, both Oceanside residents, were arrested and charged with drug trafficking.

 

According to the preliminary investigation, the plane had departed from Phoenix, Arizona. Breit contacted air traffic control to report the engine malfunction before the emergency landing. "I'm not surprised. I believe narcotics enter our country in various ways, but what's surprising is the emergency landing and how we came across this," Valdovinos said.

 

The North County Narcotics Task Force has taken over the investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the circumstances surrounding the emergency landing. By noon, the plane had been towed off the highway. No additional drugs were found on board, according to OPD.