Troopers with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) seized nearly $1.4 million worth of methamphetamine during two traffic stops in neighboring counties in the Texas Panhandle over the weekend.
The largest of the two drug seizure took place shortly after noon on Friday in Carson County when a DPS trooper stopped a 2013 Honda Civic traveling east on IH-40 near Conway, Texas, in Carson County. The Texas Highway Patrol trooper stopped the Honda for a traffic violation. After becoming suspicious, the trooper called for a K-9 unit to check the vehicle, according to information obtained by Breitbart Texas from DPS Sergeant Cindy Barkley. Carson County is located east of Amarillo.
The K-9 alerted to the presence of drugs and the trooper carried out a search of the vehicle. The trooper discovered ten bundles of methamphetamine wrapped in plastic and taped closed. The drugs were located inside the spare tire. Over eleven pounds of the drug were found inside the Honda. Officials estimated the value of the drugs to be $984,000.
The driver of the vehicle, Carmalia Bautista, 29, of Corcoran, California, said she was traveling from California to Missouri. She was arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. Bautista was transported to the Carson County jail. After spending about a day and a half in the county jail, Bautista bonded out with a $40,000 bond, Carson County Sheriff’s Office officials told Breitbart Texas on Tuesday.
Just two days earlier, in neighboring Potter County, Highway Patrol troopers stopped a 2016 Dodge Journey traveling east on IH-40 near Bushland, Texas. The trooper stopped the Dodge for a traffic violation. After obtaining permission to search the vehicle, the trooper discovered three plastic wrapped bundles of methamphetamine. The drugs, weighing over four pounds, were found inside a suitcase. Officials estimated the value of the meth to be approximately $365,000, Sgt. Barkley reported.
The driver of the Dodge, Sonya Brown, 44, from Phoenix, Arizona, was arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. She was transported to the Potter County jail where she later bonded out according to jail records obtained by Breitbart Texas.
The drugs and vehicles were seized by local authorities.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.