TOWARDS HALLOWEEN. COMING UP. ZACH. OKAY, DAMON. MORE THAN $1 MILLION WORTH OF HARD DRUGS BUSTED RIGHT HERE IN THE METRO. A SPECIAL TASK FORCE WITH THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE RECOVERED MORE THAN 40 POUNDS OF COCAINE DURING A TRAFFIC STOP. KOCO KYLIE THOMAS JOINS US LIVE NOW ALONG I-40 IN KICKAPOO, WHERE THE BUST HAPPENED. KYLIE. YEAH. DEPUTY SPECIALIZED IN STOPPING DRUG TRADE. SIT ALONG INTERSTATES LIKE I-40 WAITING FOR POTENTIAL TRAFFICKERS. THEY’RE TRAINED TO SPOT SIGNS. YOU AND I WOULDN’T CATCH. AND ON TUESDAY, THAT TRAINING PAID OFF. WHEN YOU GET THE STRONG SCENT OF, LIKE, LAUNDRY SOAP AND DRYER SHEETS, THINGS MASKING AGENTS THAT ARE USED TO REALLY COVER UP THE SMELL OF OF ILLEGAL NARCOTICS. A TELLTALE SIGN THAT TIPPED OFF OKLAHOMA COUNTY DEPUTIES TO UNCOVERING $1.3 MILLION IN COCAINE BEING TRAFFICKED ALONG I-40. ON TUESDAY, THE CRIMINAL INTERDICTION TEAM OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA, KNOWN AS SIP CO, SPOTTED TWO CARS FOLLOWING EACH OTHER ALONG I-40 AND THE KICKAPOO TURNPIKE. AFTER COMMITTING SEVERAL TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, DEPUTIES HAD A HUNCH SOMETHING MORE WAS GOING ON. ONE DEPUTY PULLED OVER THE VEHICLE, WHICH HAD TEXAS TAGS, AND IMMEDIATELY SPOTTED TWO SUITCASES IN THE BACKSEAT. WHEN THE DRIVER ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW, THE DEPUTY NOTICED INDICATORS. SHE TOLD OUR DEPUTY THAT SHE WAS HAVING MARITAL TROUBLES AND WAS GOING TO SEE A FRIEND IN CHICAGO. OUR DEPUTY ASKED HER IF SHE WAS TRANSPORTING ANY DRUGS AND SHE SAID NO. SHE THEN AGREED TO A SEARCH OF HER VEHICLE. THIS IS WHAT DEPUTIES FOUND. 47.5 POUNDS OF UNCUT COCAINE ON TOP OF THE SEALED BLOCKS. CAYENNE PEPPER AND DRYER SHEETS. A TACTIC AUTHORITIES SAY DRUG TRAFFICKERS USE TO TRICK CANINES. BUT IT DIDN’T WORK. DEPUTIES THROUGH THEIR TRAINING KNOW THAT OFTEN DRUG TRANSPORTERS TRAVEL IN PAIRS TO TRY TO THROW OFF LAW ENFORCEMENT. DEPUTIES THEN ARRESTED THE SECOND DRIVER, BOOKING BOTH FOR AGGRAVATED TRAFFICKING AND CONSPIRACY. SHERIFF TOMMY JOHNSON THANKED THE SPECIALIZED TASK FORCE FOR THE BUSTS OVER EIGHT TONS OF ILLEGAL NARCOTICS. THIS GROUP HAS TAKEN OFF THE ROADWAYS. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. NOW AUTHORITIES ARE WORKING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THOSE DRUGS CAME FROM AND WHERE THEY WERE GOING.
More than $1 million worth of drugs seized during traffic stop
A special task force with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office seized more than 40 pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop on Tuesday.
A special task force with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office seized more than 40 pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop on Tuesday.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.Deputies specialized in stopping drug trades sit along busy highways like Interstate 40, looking out for potential traffickers. They’re trained to spot signs you and I wouldn’t catch and on Tuesday, that training paid off.“You get the strong scent of laundry soap and dryer sheets, masking agents that are used to really cover up the smell of illegal narcotics,” said Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III.The Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma, also known as CITCO, spotted two cars following each other along I-40 and the Kickapoo Turnpike on Tuesday. After noticing several traffic violations, deputies had a hunch that something more was going on.“One deputy pulled over the vehicle, which had Texas tags, and immediately spotted two suitcases. When the driver rolled down the window, the deputy noticed indicators,” Johnson III said. “She told our deputy she was having marital troubles and was going to see a friend in Chicago. The deputy asked if she was transporting any drugs. She said no and then agreed to a search of her vehicle.”>> Download the KOCO 5 AppWhat deputies found in the search was 47.5 pounds of uncut cocaine, with cayenne pepper and dryer sheets on top of the sealed blocks of drugs. The estimated value of the drugs was $1.3 million.Using the items is a tactic authorities say drug traffickers use to trick K9s, but it didn’t work.“Deputies, through their training, know that often drug transporters travel in pairs to try to throw off law enforcement,” Johnson III said.The woman was arrested, as was the driver of the other vehicle, on complaints of aggravated trafficking and conspiracy.Johnson III thanked the task force for the bust.“Over 8 tons of illegal narcotics this group has taken off the roadways. That is incredible,” he said.Authorities are working to find out where the drugs came from and where they were going.Top Headlines‘I was completely blown away’: Community delivers early holiday cheer to woman in final days of lifeOKC police investigate death at gas station overnightMore than 30 Oklahomans, including parents, teachers file lawsuit against Ryan WaltersWho is behind ads asking Oklahomans to oust state supreme court justicesFORECAST: Breezy start to the weekend
OKLAHOMA CITY —
A special task force with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office seized more than 40 pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop on Tuesday.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
Deputies specialized in stopping drug trades sit along busy highways like Interstate 40, looking out for potential traffickers. They’re trained to spot signs you and I wouldn’t catch and on Tuesday, that training paid off.
“You get the strong scent of laundry soap and dryer sheets, masking agents that are used to really cover up the smell of illegal narcotics,” said Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III.
The Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma, also known as CITCO, spotted two cars following each other along I-40 and the Kickapoo Turnpike on Tuesday. After noticing several traffic violations, deputies had a hunch that something more was going on.
“One deputy pulled over the vehicle, which had Texas tags, and immediately spotted two suitcases. When the driver rolled down the window, the deputy noticed indicators,” Johnson III said. “She told our deputy she was having marital troubles and was going to see a friend in Chicago. The deputy asked if she was transporting any drugs. She said no and then agreed to a search of her vehicle.”
What deputies found in the search was 47.5 pounds of uncut cocaine, with cayenne pepper and dryer sheets on top of the sealed blocks of drugs. The estimated value of the drugs was $1.3 million.
Using the items is a tactic authorities say drug traffickers use to trick K9s, but it didn’t work.
“Deputies, through their training, know that often drug transporters travel in pairs to try to throw off law enforcement,” Johnson III said.
The woman was arrested, as was the driver of the other vehicle, on complaints of aggravated trafficking and conspiracy.
Johnson III thanked the task force for the bust.
“Over 8 tons of illegal narcotics this group has taken off the roadways. That is incredible,” he said.
Authorities are working to find out where the drugs came from and where they were going.
Top Headlines
- ‘I was completely blown away’: Community delivers early holiday cheer to woman in final days of life
- OKC police investigate death at gas station overnight
- More than 30 Oklahomans, including parents, teachers file lawsuit against Ryan Walters
- Who is behind ads asking Oklahomans to oust state supreme court justices
- FORECAST: Breezy start to the weekend