HAYWOOD COUNTY, TENN. – A late night traffic stop yesterday on Interstate 40 in Haywood County by Agents of the criminal interdiction unit based out of Shelby County has resulted in the seizure of 115 pounds of methamphetamine.
Agents with the Criminal Interdiction Unit assigned to patrol Interstate 40 in both Shelby and Haywood Counties stopped a commercial motor vehicle traveling east bound on Interstate 40 in Haywood County for a traffic violation.
During the traffic investigation, Agents observed abnormalities in a private vehicle being transported on the trailer and deployed a certified narcotics canine. The canine alerted to the presence of a narcotic odor emanating from the private vehicle.
A search was conducted of the vehicle when an astute Agent observed further abnormalities within the passenger compartment before discovering an aftermarket compartment built into a natural void of the vehicle.
Agents forced open the compartment and discovered more than 50 large bags of methamphetamine weighing approximately 115 pounds (52 kilograms). The drugs are valued at approximately $313,000.00 wholesale with a street value of more than $500,000.00.
“I’m proud of the job these agents from Shelby County did here,” said DA Mulroy. “Their persistence and ingenuity allowed us to prevent a record amount of meth poison from being distributed in West Tennessee and elsewhere.”
Drug Task Force Director Johnie Carter said, “This is a record seizure for the Task Force and I commend my criminal interdiction team for a job very well done.” This case remains under active investigation and no further details will be released at this time, he added.
Any forthcoming charges will be prosecuted in Haywood County by The Office of the District Attorney General, 28th Judicial District, Frederick Agee.
The West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force is a law enforcement agency that operates by agreement between the 28th, 29th and 30th District Attorneys General of Frederick Agee, Danny Goodman and Steve Mulroy. The Criminal Interdiction Unit operates out of the 30th District and is made up of full time employees and officers assigned from the Haywood and Dyer County Sheriff’s Offices and the Memphis and Germantown Police Departments.
# # #