ROLLA, Mo. — A routine traffic stop on Interstate 44 Sunday night led to a major drug bust after authorities discovered 130 pounds of cocaine — valued at approximately $1.6 million — hidden in a tractor-trailer.
The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department arrested:
Raul Perez Rodas, 45, of Desert Hot Springs, California
Rafael Herminio Molina-Vazquez, 30, of Philadelphia
Alayssa Melo, 22, of New York City
Deputies reportedly became suspicious when the three gave conflicting stories during the stop. A K9 unit from the Rolla City Police Department was called in and quickly alerted to narcotics.
Search of the truck revealed the cocaine stashed in hidden compartments throughout the vehicle.
All three suspects were turned over to DEA agents for federal investigation. Authorities noted that I-44 is a known drug trafficking corridor, and just last month, officials recovered $10 million in narcotics at a nearby abandoned truck stop.
The investigation is ongoing, and federal charges are expected.