Eagle County drug task force seizes 31 pounds of cocaine during traffic stop
A traffic stop for speeding on Tuesday on Interstate 70 led to another significant narcotics seizure from the Gore Range Narcotic Interdiction Team Task Force, according to the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office.
The multi-jurisdictional drug task force known as GRANITE combines efforts from the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office and the Vail Police Department, along with other local law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking in Eagle County.
According to a press release issued by the sheriff’s office on Thursday:
A pickup truck containing two adults and two minor children was stopped by a uniformed deputy on Tuesday while traveling on Interstate 70. The truck contained a 6-year-old and a 4-month-old, and the deputy noticed that one of the children was not properly restrained. While addressing the traffic violation, the deputy’s training and experience led to suspicions of further criminal activity.
After issuing a warning for speeding, and addressing the unrestrained child, the deputy requested permission to search the vehicle. Recognizing signs of potential illegal activity, the deputy called in a narcotics-certified K9. The trained dog quickly alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, establishing the probable cause necessary for conducting a full search.
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The subsequent search uncovered 14,188 grams (over 31 pounds) of a substance that presumptively tested positive for cocaine, with indications of fentanyl also present. A total of $25,709 was seized, as well, money that’s believed to be proceeds from drug transactions. The driver was placed into custody and transported to the Eagle County Detention Facility.
He was being held on a $100,000 bond and is facing charges of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance (cocaine and fentanyl), a class 1 drug felony; Unlawful possession of a controlled substance (cocaine and fentanyl), a class 4 drug felony; special offender (Cocaine and Fentanyl), a class 1 drug felony; Conspiracy, a class 1 drug felony; and child abuse, a class 3 Felony.
