Cocaine hidden in ice chest on Mexican tour bus stopped in Beaumont

KFDM News has learned Jefferson County narcotics officers with assistance from a Beaumont Police K-9 found more than 20 pounds of cocaine hidden in an ice chest on a Mexican tour bus stopped in Beaumont.

An informant told the Harris County Sheriff's Office that a passenger had hidden drugs in an ice chest and put it on a bus. Harris County investigators contacted Jefferson County, according to Major Jimmy Singletary with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Officers stopped the tour bus at about 9:30 p.m. Monday at the Petro Truck Stop off I-10 in Jefferson County. A Beaumont Police K-9 reacted to the ice chest. Investigators found cheese in the ice chest but say after dumping the cheese on the ground the ice chest still weighed about 40 pounds. Officers continued searching the ice chest and found 10 kilos of cocaine, or about 22 pounds, and arrested a passenger. There were two drivers and three passengers on the bus.

Investigators allowed the bus driver to continue his route to Atlanta.

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