July 05, 2007  Newton County, Missouri
State Troopers seize 24 kilograms of cocaine on Interstate 44

On July 5, 2007, a Missouri State Highway Patrol commercial vehicle officer stopped an eastbound tractor-trailer unit for a fuel tax violation at the weigh station on Interstate 44 in Newton County. During conversations with the driver the commercial vehicle officer became suspicious of criminal activities and requested a trooper respond to the weigh station. The trooper received consent from the driver to search the tractor-trailer unit for drugs and weapons. Located under the bottom bunk in the sleeper compartment of the truck tractor was a large duffle bag containing approximately 24 kilo-sized bundles of cocaine covered in axle grease and wrapped tightly with cellophane.

The driver, Barrios Benjamin Perez, 46, of San Diego, CA, was arrested for first-degree drug trafficking and transported to the Greene County Jail in Springfield, MO, where he was released to Federal Drug Enforcement Administration officers, who will pursue the filing of federal charges.