The driver of the van put of a fight when police tried to conduct a search.
Traffic stops are one of the best resources police officers have to keep the streets safe. Typically, these encounters are brief, and the drivers are soon on their way to their destination. However, one vehicle stop in Atlanta recently turned into something more after the officers found a large volume of drugs in a van. Now, the occupants are behind bars.
This traffic stop uncovered a criminal drug operation
Here’s how everything unfolded with the van. According to WSB TV, police officers were patrolling on February 7th at around 5:15 PM. They pulled over a white transport van for a traffic stop because the driver was using his mobile device, which is a massive public safety issue. While talking to the driver, the police officer noticed the smell of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. This gave the police probable cause to search the van. The report says that the occupants first tried to fight this.
There was then a brief and minor altercation during the traffic stop, which included the officer deploying a taser. From there, they were able to search the vehicle. This search of the van uncovered more drugs than the officers on the scene believed it would, including 12.5 pounds of cocaine, 35 pounds of marijuana, and 114 pounds of meth. Naturally, this volume of drugs signals that the people were involved in a more extensive operation. The police also seized $73,500 in cash.
The vehicle’s occupants were arrested following the traffic stop and taken to the Fulton County Jail. The charges include trafficking meth, cocaine, and marijuana. Additionally, they are being charged with obstruction and operating a cellular device while driving.
Police in Atlanta recently conducted a traffic stop on a van and found cocaine, meth, and $73k before arresting the occupants. Read on.
