Haywood County, TENN. – Drug Task Force Director Johnie Carter says that a routine traffic stop resulted in the seizure of 6 pounds of cocaine, two weapons and led investigators to a home in Mansfield, Ohio. In Ohio, agents seized 21 weapons, 10 pounds marijuana and THC.
During the early morning hours of February 18th, Agents with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force’s Criminal Interdiction Unit were patrolling I-40 in Haywood County when an Agent observed a vehicle with an improper display of registration.
Agents conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and rapidly developed reasonable suspicion to deploy Canine Athena. Canine Athena alerted to the presence of a narcotic containing odor about the vehicle and Agents conducted a probable cause search.
During the search, Agents located 2 wrapped bricks that field tested positive for cocaine and weighed nearly 6 pounds. The drugs were located concealed in a suit case and on the back seat of the vehicle in a plastic grocery bag. Further search of the vehicle yielded two magnetic pelican style cases concealed in the engine compartment of the vehicle. Further inspection of the cases revealed that they each held a weapon wrapped in a blanket.
Further investigation of the incident revealed that the items were being taken to Mansfield, Ohio where the duo were supposed to meet up with a buyer at a local big box store parking lot.
Working with D.E.A. – Memphis and Cleveland, Agents delivered the narcotics to the big box store in Ohio where they were able to take the buyer into custody without incident. Agents secured a search warrant for a residence there and recovered an additional 21 weapons, 10 pounds of marijuana and a large amount of THC wax and edibles in addition to the original cocaine that was delivered.
Canine Athena is assigned, along with her handler, to the West Tennessee Drug Task Force by the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office.
Any state charges will be prosecuted by the Office of the District Attorney General for the 28th Judicial District, Frederick Agee. All Federal prosecutions will be handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This is outstanding police work by our West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force Interstate Interdiction Agents and our DEA Task Force Officer. We have a great team that is dedicated to disrupting organized crime and following cases wherever it may lead them.
– Frederick H. Agee, District Attorney General
“I would like to commend all involved Agents on a job well done in getting the cocaine and weapons off the streets of Tennessee and Ohio”.
“Ralph Waldo Emerson said there is no limit to what can be accomplished if you don’t care who gets the credit and this case personifies that quote as we lay the credit amongst all of the agencies working together tomake west Tennessee and Ohio safer places to live, work and raise a family.”
– Johnie Carter, Director, West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.