Cocaine worth $700K seized during routine inspection stop

Published 9:38 pm Thursday, January 11, 2018

BAY ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mississippi authorities say a tractor and van trailer stopped in Hancock County had $700,000 worth of cocaine in its load.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation enforcement officers stopped the trailer on Interstate 10 eastbound Tuesday for a fuel, weight, safety and paperwork inspection. The trailer, loaded with detergents and soap, was bound from Laredo, Texas, to West Palm Beach, Florida.

During the inspection, officers saw two bundles wrapped in grey duct tape, and one in clear plastic. None of the other merchandise was similarly wrapped. The bundles contained about 30 kilograms of cocaine.

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The driver, 46-year-old Barrios Pedro, of Laredo, Texas, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He’s being held at the Hancock County Jail. It’s unknown if he has an attorney.