TROOPERS SEIZE DRUGS AND CASH
JERRY BAKER
03-25-2008
MONTGOMERY State troopers enforcing traffic law on Alabamas roadways have made significant seizures of drugs and currency in Montgomery and Cleburne counties in recent days, according to Col. J. Christopher Murphy, director of the Department of Public Safety.
Murphy said enforcement patrols are an important means for state troopers to increase highway and traffic safety statewide. Alabamas troopers rely on their training and good, old-fashioned powers of observation to look beyond a traffic stop to curtail the use of our roadways for criminal activity, said Murphy.
Details of the recent arrests and seizures follow.
Saturday, March 15, 2008, at approximately 3:30 p.m., troopers stopped a 2008 Saturn for speeding near the 14 mile post of Interstate 85 in Montgomery County. Troopers received written consent to search the vehicle and located a package containing four ounces of heroin, valued at $20,000, secreted in the vehicle. The driver, Byron Collins, 37, of Lithonia, Ga., was arrested without incident, charged with trafficking heroin and taken to the Montgomery County Jail. The case was turned over to ABI for further investigation.
Sunday, March 16, at 10:28 a.m., troopers stopped a tractor-trailer for following too closely on Interstate 85 north near the 16 mile marker in Montgomery County. Troopers were granted consent to search the vehicle. They immediately noticed large packages in the trailer inconsistent with the remaining load of produce. A total of 121 suspect packages contained 2,820 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $2.8 million. This is the largest single seizure of marijuana in the history of DPS. The driver, Patrick Jacobs, 29, of Butner, N.C., was arrested without incident, charged with trafficking marijuana, and taken to the Montgomery County Jail. The tractor and trailer were seized, and the investigation with all evidence was turned over to ABI and DEA for further investigation.
On Wednesday, March 19, at approximately 5:30 p.m., troopers stopped a Honda Prelude for following too closely on Interstate 20 near the 205 mile marker in Cleburne County. Troopers received written consent to search the vehicle and located 66 individual bundles of U.S. currency totaling $425,010 secreted inside the car. The currency was seized. The driver, a Canadian resident, claimed no knowledge of the currency and was released. ABI and DEA are investigating.
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