A traffic stop that started as a run-of-the-mill pull-over in San Diego County ended with deputies hauling away a major meth shipment. A sheriff’s detective stopped a vehicle a few months ago for multiple vehicle-code violations, and what began as a routine check escalated when the driver appeared nervous and gave inconsistent answers, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
That behavior was enough for deputies to run an exterior K-9 sniff. The dog alerted, the driver agreed to a search, and detectives soon found roughly 87 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside the car’s gas tank and rear quarter panel. The sheriff’s office estimated the street value of the stash at more than $64,000.
What Deputies Say Happened
According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the stop began when a detective observed the car committing several vehicle code violations. Once pulled over, the driver’s edgy demeanor and conflicting statements raised enough red flags for an exterior K-9 sniff, which led to an alert on the vehicle.
Deputies say the driver consented to a search, and that is when they discovered the narcotics. The methamphetamine was packed into concealed spaces inside the fuel tank and rear quarter panel, with an approximate total weight of 87 pounds. Investigators put the estimated street value at more than $64,000 and publicly credited both the K-9 and the detectives for the seizure, according to the San Diego Sheriff…