The Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday announced that a deputy found and seized 34 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $2.8 million.
On Sunday, the deputy initiated a traffic stop at the 164-mile marker on Interstate 40 for a traffic violation.
A K-9 unit was called in alerted officers. That led to a search of the vehicle which revealed bundles of methamphetamine.
The full text of a statement from the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office is as follows:
On 11/12/2017 Deputy Baker initiated a traffic stop at the 164 mile marker on I-40 for a traffic violation. Deputy Baker spoke with all the occupants of the vehicle and realized that their stories of the trip were inconsistent.
Deputy Baker asked the owner of the vehicle for consent to search the vehicle. The owner was not answering Deputy Baker’s questions. The owner finally stated that there was a gun in her purse. Deputy Baker retrieved the gun and all occupants were asked to step out of the vehicle.
Deputy Baker deployed K-9 Grom to do a free air sniff around the vehicle. K-9 Grom gave a positive alert, indicating the presence of an illegal substance. Deputy Baker searched the vehicle. During the search 29 individual bundles of methamphetamine were found in the rear cargo area of the vehicle. The total amount located was 34 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $2.8 million. The owner of the vehicle was arrested and booked in to the Wheeler County Jail for Possession of a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm.