NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – On Wednesday, January 31, Tennessee Highway Patrol stopped a rental vehicle on Interstate 40 in Dickson County for a traffic violation and discovered nearly 50 pounds of cocaine.
The troopers said the occupants showed signs of “deception and stress.” During the stop, troopers discovered there was a possible warrant for the passenger, William Jones, 52, of Toledo, Ohio. The driver, Joseph Martinez, 54, of Toledo, Ohio denied the troopers consent to search the vehicle.
While waiting to verify the status of the warrant, the trooper spoke with Jones and gained verbal consent to search his two bags located inside the vehicle. One of the bags had 20 kilos (47.5 pounds) of cocaine.
Both Martinez and Jones were arrested for possession of cocaine for resale or delivery and transported to the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office for booking.
The warrant on Jones was verified after the arrest and he will be extradited to Ohio. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) responded to the scene.
The case will be presented to the Assistant United States Attorney’s Office (AUSA).