Seward County law enforcement found 8.5 pounds of cocaine in a traffic stop Sept. 26 on Interstate 80.
At approximately 12:30 p.m., members of the Seward County Criminal Interdiction Task Force stopped an eastbound vehicle for two separate traffic infractions at mile marker 388 near Pleasant Dale.
During the course of the stop, the deputy became suspicious of criminal activity because of information provided by the operator.
As a result of the suspicion, a second deputy responded with his narcotics detection K9. A K9 sniff was conducted, which resulted in a positive alert and indication to the presence of a narcotics odor.
A subsequent probable cause search was conducted and resulted in the seizure of 8.5 pounds of cocaine.
The operator, identified as Rodrigo Figueroa, 19, of Santa Barbara, California, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and no drug tax stamp.
Figueroa was lodged in the Seward County Detention Center pending further court action.
The estimated street value of the cocaine is approximately $100,000.
