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LSP: Traffic stop on I-12 leads to seizure of more than $5M worth of cocaine

cocaine seisure LSP.jpg
Posted at 11:17 AM, May 03, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-03 12:17:13-04

Louisiana State Police say that troopers have seized "more than $5.5 million worth of cocaine" on Interstate-12.

On Monday, Troopers say that just after 6:20 a.m. they made a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling eastbound on Interstate-12 in St. Tammany Parish.

During the course of the traffic stop, Troopers say they became suspicious of criminal activity and requested consent to search the vehicle. After consent to search was granted, Troopers were able to locate and seize 55 kilograms of suspected cocaine.

The street value of this amount of cocaine is estimated at $5.5 million, according to LSP.

32-year-old Melvin Contreras (Mount Vernon, New York) and 40-year-old Pedro Sarante (New York, New York) were arrested for drug-related charges.

Troopers followed up with federal partners at the Department of Homeland Security and the case has been referred to federal authorities.

Both Contreras and Sarante were booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail.

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