A sizeable drug haul was intercepted last week by law enforcement on Interstate 40 in Haywood County as agents of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force conducted a routine traffic stop. On Wednesday morning, May 14, agents pulled over a commercial vehicle for a traffic violation and, upon becoming suspicious of part of its cargo, opted to perform a K-9 inspection. According to Action News 5, the search revealed approximately six kilograms of cocaine and 15 pounds of methamphetamine, cunningly hidden within the vehicle's load.
The driver of the vehicle, reportedly caught unaware by the discovery of the narcotics, was released at the scene. In a situation where a driver could typically be held responsible for their cargo, "something was concealed so as they could not have known it was in the load," as Fox 13 Memphis cites the Task Force Directer Johnie Carter explaining the rationale behind absolving the driver of responsibility — given that the illegal consignment was effectively concealed within a legitimate load the driver was dispatched to transport.
This seizure of contraband is a recent highlight in the ongoing war against drug trafficking in the region. The interdiction unit, based out of Memphis, is at the forefront of these efforts and regularly patrols the major thoroughfares, unearthing narcotics that find their way into and through West Tennessee. The street value of the drugs confiscated in this instance has not been disclosed, but past seizures suggest that the financial impact on the drug trade is substantial.
Details on the investigation are limited due to its active status, but as confirmed by WREG, the drug task force is continuing its inquiry with no additional information available at this time. The community's concern over the persisting drug trade is palpable; yet, it's interdictions like these that signal to those involved in such illicit activities that law enforcement remains ever-vigilant. While the driver was released, the implications of this finding will likely reverberate through the networks that aim to utilize highways as conduits for their illegal ventures.
