Arizona Department of Public Safety (ADPS) Border Strike Force Canine trooper conducts a traffic stop on Interstate 10 north of Tucson. The trooper’s canine alerts on the vehicle and the trooper locates 19.85 lbs. of cocaine.
At about 12:15 pm on February 4, 2016, an ADPS Border Strike Force Canine Trooper stopped a passenger vehicle for a traffic law violation on westbound Interstate 10 just north of the Tucson metropolitan area. During the stop the trooper became suspicious of possible criminal activity and the trooper’s canine alerted on the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed seven packages containing cocaine. The total weight of the cocaine was 19.85 lbs. The cocaine had a street value of approximately $140,000.
Estella Ramirez Sinohui, 22, from Nogales, AZ. was booked into the Pima County Jail on the following charges:
- Possession of a dangerous drug
- Possession and transportation of a dangerous drug for sale
ADPS Border Strike Force Canine Trooper was assisted by the ADPS Border Strike Force Pima and Cochise County Highway Interdiction Teams (HIT).
Concerning this drug seizure DPS Director Colonel Frank Milstead said, “I said it once, I will say it again, when it comes to drug interdiction on our state highways and interstates, the Border Strike Force Canine Troopers are second to none”.
The mission of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Border Strike Force is to deter, disrupt, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations exploiting the Arizona / Mexico border.