Lake Charles, Louisiana — A traffic stop on Interstate 10 in Lake Charles led to the discovery of 34.6 pounds of suspected cocaine and the arrest of three Illinois residents, according to information released by the Lake Charles Police Department.
Detectives with the Combined Anti-Drug Team’s Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted the stop on February 12, 2026, on a white Chrysler Pacifica traveling eastbound near Mile Marker 16 on I-10.
During the stop, detectives developed reasonable suspicion that the vehicle’s occupants were involved in criminal activity related to narcotics transportation. Reasonable suspicion is a legal standard that allows officers to investigate further when specific facts suggest a crime may be taking place.
The vehicle’s driver, identified as Celia Marroquin-Lozano of Arcola, Illinois, granted verbal consent for detectives to search the vehicle.
Suspected Cocaine Found Concealed in Vehicle
During the search, detectives reported finding a total of 15 wrapped packages concealed inside the vehicle. According to the department, 11 of the packages were located inside a tote, and four more were hidden inside a sweater. All of the packages are suspected to contain cocaine.
The total approximate weight of the suspected cocaine was listed as 34.6 pounds, with an estimated street value of more than $200,000.
Also in the vehicle were two passengers, identified as Juan Francisco Gonzales De Leon and Jose Armando Ochoa, both also from Arcola, Illinois.
Immigration Status and Federal Detainer
Further investigation determined that Marroquin-Lozano and Gonzales De Leon were in the United States illegally, according to the Lake Charles Police Department.
U.S. Border Patrol was contacted, and a federal detainer was issued for both individuals. A federal detainer is a request from federal immigration authorities asking that local law enforcement hold a person in custody for possible immigration action.
Charges and Bond
All three individuals — Marroquin-Lozano, Gonzales De Leon, and Ochoa — were charged with possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance.
The Honorable Judge Tony Fazzio set bond for each defendant at $3,000,000.
Multi-Agency Drug Interdiction Effort
The Lake Charles Police Department reported that several agencies assisted in the investigation, highlighting the regional and federal cooperation common in large narcotics cases:
- Westside HIDTA Task Force (Texas) – Part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, which targets significant drug trafficking operations.
- Liberty County Sheriff’s Office (Texas)
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – A federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security focused on transnational crime, including narcotics smuggling.
- U.S. Border Patrol
The operation was led by the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force, described by the department as a collaborative effort of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that work together to disrupt and stop illegal drug trafficking in Calcasieu Parish.
Criminal interdiction units, like the one involved in this stop, routinely patrol major transportation corridors such as Interstate 10, which is widely known as a key east–west route often used in the movement of illegal narcotics.
Public Asked To Share Information
The Lake Charles Police Department is asking anyone with information related to this offense to come forward.
Tipsters can contact the department directly at 337-491-1311 or submit information anonymously using the Lake Charles Police Department App.
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.