Trooper Seizes Cocaine Bound for Atlanta

(ATLANTA)- Cocaine with a street value of more than five million dollars and bound for Atlanta was seized by the Georgia State Patrol during a traffic stop Thursday afternoon in Troup County.  The cocaine was concealed in a tractor trailer carrying glass table tops and is the largest cocaine find from a traffic stop in Georgia history. 

TFC Jimmy Jones of the GSP's Criminal Interdiction Unit was patrolling I-85 in LaGrange around 3:30 Thursday afternoon when he stopped a northbound tractor trailer for improper reflective tape on the rear of the trailer.  The trooper became suspicious during conversation with the driver and the suspected cocaine was discovered during a consent search.  The contraband was packaged in eight cardboard boxes with a total weight of 220 kilograms, or 484 pounds.  "This is the largest cocaine seizure ever in Georgia as the result of a traffic stop,” GSP Commander Colonel George Ellis said.  “I commend Trooper Jones for his alertness and hard work that intercepted this shipment.”

The driver of the truck, Antonio L. Davalos, 34, of Laredo, Texas was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine.  He was placed in the Troup County Jail without bond.  An investigation continues by the Georgia State Patrol, Troup County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Customs.

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