Lake Charles, LA – On January 31, at approximately 11:00 a.m., detectives from the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force (C.A.T. Team) Criminal Patrol Unit executed a traffic stop on a truck traveling westbound on Interstate 10, near mile marker 37. The stop was initiated due to a traffic violation, and the truck was towing a car hauler trailer that carried three vehicles.
During the traffic stop, detectives engaged with the driver and observed potential indicators of criminal activity related to drug trafficking. Seeking to further their investigation, detectives requested the driver's consent to search the vehicle, which the driver granted.
Upon inspecting one of the vehicles on the trailer—a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan—detectives discovered a factory storage compartment in the floor of the van. This compartment had been modified in an apparent effort to conceal its contents. Inside, detectives found a cache of weapons: thirteen rifles, nine pistols, one shotgun, along with forty-nine rifle magazines and seventeen handgun magazines. Additionally, over two thousand rounds of ammunition were located in the concealed space.
When questioned about the destination of the car hauler, the driver stated he was delivering the vehicles to the U.S.-Mexico border. The items found in the compartment were confiscated. The driver claimed he had no knowledge of the concealed weapons, was issued a verbal warning for the initial traffic violation and released while the investigation continues.
The case has been referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for further investigation and potential federal charges. The operation involved collaboration with several federal agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from the Atlanta Field Office.
The Combined Anti-Drug Task Force serves as a cooperative initiative, bringing together law enforcement officials from local, state, and federal agencies with the goal of combating the trafficking of illegal substances in Calcasieu Parish.
An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.