Tommy Chin Van Duong, a 38-year-old Jacksonville man already on probation for drug trafficking, was arrested over the weekend after Martin County deputies found five kilograms of cocaine hidden in his SUV.
The arrest occurred during a routine traffic stop after Van Duong exited I-95 onto SW Martin Highway. Deputies and detectives with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) noted Van Duong appeared visibly nervous. A K9 unit was called to the scene and quickly alerted officers to the presence of drugs in the vehicle.
A search revealed a concealed bag under the driver’s seat containing five tightly wrapped bricks of cocaine—each weighing one kilogram.
“It’s not clear where those drugs were headed,” said the Sheriff’s Office in a statement, “but thanks to the work of our deputies, detectives, and K9 units, we know where this load isn’t going.”
Van Duong, who was on probation for MDMA trafficking—a sentence not due to end until 2034—was taken into custody and booked into Martin County Jail. He faces charges of trafficking cocaine and violating probation.
