I-40 Traffic Stop Yields $500K in Cocaine

June 1, 2022 – A Texas man who was stopped on I-40 for a traffic violation Tuesday is facing drug-trafficking charges after officers found more than eight pounds of cocaine hidden in a speaker box in the back of his SUV, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

The seizure was made shortly after noon when agents from the West Tennessee Drug Task Force (WTDTF) stopped a 2017 Jeep on I-40 at the Fayette and Shelby County line driven by Isael Martinez Cabrera, 26, of Dallas.

WTDTF Director Johnie Carter said Cabrera gave officers consent to search his vehicle which led to the discovery of cocaine concealed in an aftermarket speaker box in the vehicle’s cargo area.

Carter said the 8.8 pounds of cocaine officers found has a street value of nearly $500,000. The illegal drug shipment from Dallas was destined for Brentwood near Nashville.

“We are seeing record seizure amounts of drugs in 2022,” Carter said. “We surpassed 2021 seizures in just the first 45 days of this year and we are steadily climbing.”

Carter said that since January of this year, Criminal Interdiction Agents on I-40 have seized approximately 13.2 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, nearly 1,000 controlled prescription pills, 50 pints of liquid codeine syrup, six loaded firearms, and nearly $1.5 M in criminal proceeds.

The WTDTF operates by joint agreement in the 25th, 28th, 29th and 30th Judicial Districts and also includes members from the 25th Judicial Drug Task Force, Fayette, Haywood and Tipton County Sheriff’s Departments and the Memphis and Germantown Police Departments.

Fayette County, which is in the 25th Judicial District, includes about 15 miles of I-40.

DA Weirich is Chairman of the Task Force’s Board of Directors.