Deputies Confiscate Cocaine, Cash During Traffic Stop

Sheriffs seize more than $700K, plus drugs

Posted: Friday, November 30, 2012 10:00 pm | Updated: 7:59 am, Sat Dec 1, 2012.

By Melissa Montoya The Brownsville Herald

A traffic stop near Paredes Line Road resulted in the seizure of 23 kilos, or 50 pounds, of cocaine and $708,570 in cash, authorities said.

In connection with the seizures, the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department arrested four people, each accused of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Sheriff Omar Lucio said, adding that other charges are pending.

The suspects’ names were not released because of the ongoing investigation, Chief Deputy Gus Reyna said.

The traffic stop occurred just before lunch, Lucio said.

“The officer was talking to them and noticing the way the driver was conducting himself,” Lucio said. “He became a little more alert, and maybe something was wrong, so he contacted additional officers that came out there and they found out that this individual was carrying this particular vehicle with some bundles of cocaine.”

The cocaine is valued at $22,000 per kilo, which roughly translates to $12,000 or $13,000 per pound, Lucio said.

Lucio said the traffic stop and drug seizure are proof that hiring 13 additional officers has paid off. The department also has two additional K-9 dogs that sniff for drugs, money and weapons, he said.

According to Lucio, the most common drug the department finds is marijuana, but he said stops are more common during this time of year because drug smugglers take advantage of increased holiday traffic.

“People are doing their Christmas shopping, people are going everywhere,” the sheriff said. “So sometimes they want to take advantage of all the traffic out here because most law enforcement agencies are sometimes tied up and making sure that everybody is safe.”

Federal agencies were called in to help with the arrests, Lucio said.
“We work with all agencies as far as that goes,” he said.

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_4f23948c-3b66-11e2-8637-001a4bcf6878.html