SEALY — Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek reported that on March 1, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Sergeant Randy Thumann and Investigator David Smith with the Fayette County Sheriff's Office conducted a traf - fic stop on a vehicle traveling east - bound on Interstate 10 at the 716- mile marker in Austin County.
Several indicators of criminal activity were observed. With consent to search, the vehicle was searched.
Thumann deployed his canine, “Kolt,” to conduct an exterior sweep of the vehicle. Kolt alerted positively to the odor of illegal narcotics.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed two suspicious spools of rope in the truck's bed.
Further inspection revealed the spools had been modified to conceal 42 bags of methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 20 kilograms.
The driver of the vehicle, Mario Aranda Gomez, 57, of Houston, was placed under arrest and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine. He was transported to the Austin County Jail in Bellville without incident.
Members of the Westside Narcotics Task Force (HIDTA) were called to the scene to assist with the investigation.
Based on the totality of the circumstances and the direction of travel along the Interstate 10 corridor, investigators believe the methamphetamine may have originated from Mexico and was en route to Houston area for distribution.
This seizure represents a sig- nificant disruption to narcotics trafficking activity utilizing major Texas travel corridors.
The Austin County Sheriff’s Office patrol division assisted with the incident.
