Austin Traffic Stop Yields 140 Pounds Of Drugs Valued At $4.8M

AUSTIN, TX — A recent traffic stop yielded nearly 140 pounds of drugs with a street value of nearly $5 million, police said Monday.

The incident dates to Tuesday, July 10, when officers from the Austin Police Department Organized Crime Division's Criminal Interdiction Unit stopped a 2004 Ford F-150 along the 12600 block of South Interstate 35 for speeding and failure to display a front license plate.

While speaking with the driver, Armando Martinez, officers picked up on several cues that led them to believe the driver might be smuggling illegal narcotics, police said. After the driver gave consent to a vehicle search, a K9 alerted to the presence of drugs. All told, 138 pounds of narcotics valued at $4.8 million were discovered in the metal casings inside each tire, including 82 pounds of cocaine; 50 pounds of methamphetamine; and six pounds of heroin.

Martinez, a resident of Weslaco, Texas, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He is currently being held in the Travis County Jail awaiting transfer to federal custody. This case has been referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for further review.

Get Patch's Daily Newsletters and Real Time Alerts

>>> Armando Martinez booking photo via Austin Police Department