Nearly 400 pounds of cocaine seized during traffic stop in Putnam County, Indiana
Indiana State Police said troopers seized nearly 400 pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop in Putnam County, Indiana, on Monday morning.
State police said troopers conducted a stop on a vehicle that was traveling eastbound above the posted speed limit on I-70 at the 37-mile marker.
The driver, a 27-year-old man of Bakersfield, California, was observed by a trooper of having multiple criminal indicators of operating the vehicle below industry standards, but did not go into specifics.
After receiving consent to search a trailer attached to the rear of the vehicle, several duffel bags and cardboard boxes were found, containing 392 pounds of suspected cocaine worth about $9 million at street value.
The driver was taken into custody and then transported to the Putnam County Jail, where he is being held on a $30,000 cash bond.
Indiana State police said the driver was preliminarily charged with felony counts of dealing and possessing a narcotic drug. They said final charges will be determined by the Putnam County prosecutor.
Putnam County is about two hours and 15 minutes away from Chicago.