You guys don't have any drugs in the car, do you? >> don't got nothing at all. >> Okay. Would you give voluntary consent to search the vehicle for any of the types of items I described? >> I do mind. >> All right, everybody turn around. Put your hands behind your back. You're all under arrest. >> On January 2nd, 2023, a Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper pulled over a white Nissan Altima with Louisiana plates for following too closely and making unsafe lane changes. It seemed like a routine stop until it led to a shocking 2.5 million-dollar drug bust. >> Morning. >> Morning. >> Do you have your license with you? >> Yeah. >> Do you have your registration and insurance? While you're grabbing that, Ruben, the reason I stopped you is you're following too close behind the semi-truck and then that white car in front of you. Okay, I had you less than a second behind each one. >> Oh, yes, sir. >> You were 0.6 seconds behind the semi-truck and 0.8 seconds behind the white car. >> Yes, sir. >> Need to be about 3 to 6 seconds, okay? That gives you plenty of time to react in case something bad happens, you know what I mean? Do you have your insurance card with you? Is this your car or >> This is my baby mama's car. >> Your baby mama's car? Okay. So, I'm just going to write you a ticket. I'm not going to write you a warning, okay? Just need you to come on back with me real quick, kid. You guys don't have any weapons in the car, do you? No? Okay. >> Instead of a warning, the officer issues a citation and asks the driver to step out. When asked if he has a gun, the driver pauses before admitting there's a firearm in his waistband, despite denying it moments earlier. >> All right, you don't have any weapons on you, do you, bud? Can I pat you down real quick? Just for my safety. >> Oh, actually, I do have a weapon, but it's mine. >> What is it? >> It's mine. >> What is it? Okay, I'm going to go and take that off of you, okay? >> It's registered under my >> Okay. >> Hey. You asked about that? >> What was that? Okay, come on come on back over here. I'm standing right here for me, okay? Right there by the tire. >> Oh, sorry man. >> Stay >> by the tire. Okay. So, how come when I asked you in the beginning, you told me no? >> Oh, I'm sorry. I apologize. >> Why did you Why did you lie to me? >> No, I didn't lie. I I I just apologize. >> Okay, but I asked you about it and you said no. >> I just got nervous. >> And then >> I I I had forgot that I did have a weapon on my side. >> Okay. >> It's a small .380. >> So, just to make me safe, I'm going to unload it, okay? >> Okay. >> The troopers questioned the driver about their trip. He claims they're visiting an uncle in northern Arizona, but struggles to name the town or remember the address, raising even more suspicion. >> So, you do know that if law enforcement asks you about a weapon, you're required to tell them if you got it. Do you understand that? >> I'm sorry. I apologize. I was nervous. I wasn't expecting to get pulled over, honestly. >> You guys on vacation today or what? >> Yeah. >> Where are you guys going? >> Winslow. Winslow. >> Winslow? >> Yeah. Got an uncle that lives up there in Winslow. Visiting his vacation. >> So, you said you're going to Winslow? >> Yeah, Winslow up the street. Winslow. >> Winslow's back that way. >> No. >> Yeah. >> I haven't passed it on the way. I got like 20 minutes left. >> No, bro. >> I'm at my destination. >> Winslow's over there. I've I've lived up here for 17 years. Winslow's that way. >> What? Actually, I'm actually going to get there here real quick. Yeah, I got a lot. >> So, you're going to visit who? >> My grand- My tío. Your uncle? >> Your uncle? >> Yeah. I'm 21 minutes away, up the street. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, that's not Winslow. Winslow's over there. >> He said it's by Winslow. I I figured it's by Winslow. >> It's by Winslow? Okay. So, what city is it in? >> Uh I'm actually I'm from Phoenix, actually. Navajo Boulevard, there you go. >> Navajo Boulevard? >> Yeah. >> That's in Holbrook. >> Oh, okay. >> It's the next city over. >> Yep. >> How long you guys going to be up here for? >> Just for the weekend. >> Just for the weekend? >> Probably like probably like Sunday, Saturday. >> Where are you guys going to stay? >> At my uncle's. >> At your uncle's house? >> Yeah, a little bedroom. >> What's your uncle's name? >> My uncle? >> Yeah. >> Victor. >> Victor >> Victor Via. >> Huh? >> The Via. >> Victor Via? >> Yeah. >> Where does Where does he live in Holbrook? >> What was that? >> Where does he live? >> Where does he live? >> Uh-huh. >> Over there by the Over there by the address that he gave me. >> Yeah. >> He had just moved out here, actually. He used to live in Tolleson. >> Oh, really? >> He moved out here to the brick section. >> Say that again. >> He moved out here to the brick section. >> Doing construction? What kind of construction does he do? >> Rebar. >> Rebar? >> Rebar. >> To verify the driver's story, the officer questions the passengers separately. Instead of matching their answers only raise more suspicion. >> What's going on, fellas? Just got to look at the van real quick. You guys have any ID on you? >> Yes, sir. >> I forgot mine. >> You forgot yours? >> Yeah, but I'll give you my social and everything. >> All right, let me >> Yeah, and I know that. >> Let me go get the something to write with real quick, okay? Where are you guys headed to? >> Over here Holbrook. >> Holbrook, what's going on over there? >> We're going to meet up with some friends. They came down with their with um with our uncle. They came down with the kids and stuff. We're going to meet them up. >> For with your uncle or >> Yeah, with my uncle. >> Your uncle? >> Yeah, they they got the kids and everything on my land and everything. >> Oh, really? >> was telling him it's my brother's birth my my brother's son's birthday. >> Uh-huh. >> So, we're probably having them come through with us back down so we could just all celebrate. >> Are you guys all related or what? >> Yeah, this is my brother right here. >> Okay. What about him? >> That's um my um you can say my cousin, but we worked together since like middle school. >> Okay. How long are you guys going to be in Holbrook for? >> Maybe just the weekend. Like I said, my brother um son's birthday is this Friday. So, we're going to >> I got you. >> All right. >> All right, just hang tight for a second. She said these guys are your friends? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Are you guys related at all or just friends? >> Marriage and cousins. >> Okay. >> Friends / cousins through marriage. But yeah. We're just really close. >> Got you. >> Basically like family. >> And you said you're going to see your uncle? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> I thought you guys were border patrol. >> Huh? >> I thought you guys were border patrol. >> No. Is that what you guys looking for? No ID? No, man. So, how are you guys related through marriage? >> Huh? >> How are you guys related through marriage? >> They're They're Tia, their aunt and uncle. Well, not this one, but a different uncle. >> Not the one you're going to meet though? Okay. >> It's a whole different, yeah. Different side of the family. >> You guys got some kind of a celebration or just going to >> What was that? >> You guys going to celebrate anything or just uh going to hang out? >> Regular vacation, yeah. >> Got you. >> Because of their inconsistent stories, unusual travel plans, and nervous behavior, the officers decide to search the vehicle believing they may be hiding something. >> So, Ruben, I got a question for you. Part of my job out here is to look for people hauling and and bringing illegal contraband up the I-40. We get a lot of people that haul dope and >> Yeah, yeah. >> all kinds of different things. You guys don't have any drugs in the car, do you? >> No, we don't got nothing at all. >> Okay. Other than the blunt that you told me about, do you have any more marijuana, anything more than an ounce? >> No, that's it. >> Okay. Just the blunt, I can show you. >> Do you guys have any meth in the car? >> No, no. >> Cocaine? Heroin? >> Nope. >> Any uh fentanyl, fentanyl pills? >> No, I don't do >> Prescription pills that aren't yours? Okay. >> Nothing at all. >> Do you guys have any luggage in the car? >> No. >> You didn't bring any luggage with you? >> No. >> Even though you're staying for >> Staying for like 2 days. >> So, part of my job out here is to look for people that are hauling and transporting illegal contraband. You guys don't have anything illegal in the car, do you? Any weapons or explosives in the car other than the gun he had? >> Yeah, no, that's it. >> Okay. Any bombs, bazookas, any dead bodies in the car? >> No, hell no. >> Okay. Um he told me there's a blunt in the car. I'm not worried about that. You guys have any meth, cocaine, or heroin in the car? >> Uh-uh. >> You have any fentanyl or fentanyl pills or prescription pills you're not supposed to have? No? Is that a no from you, too? >> No. >> Okay. Other than this gun, you guys have any weapons or explosives in the car? >> is my gun. >> Just yours? Okay. Did you give voluntary consent to search the vehicle for any of the types of items I described? >> Uh I do mind. >> You do mind? Is that you saying no? >> No. >> Okay. So, I do have a narcotics dog with me. I'm just going to walk him around the car real quick, okay? All right. Um so, I asked him for consent to search the vehicle. He told me no. So, I'm going to walk the narcotics dog around the car. I need you both to step out for me, okay? Go ahead and roll your windows up, too, so my dog doesn't try and jump inside the car. I'm just going to roll this up, okay? >> All right. >> The driver refuses to let officers search the car. With no probable cause, the officer brings in a K9 to sniff around the vehicle. What happens next catches everyone off guard. >> One question before I walk him around the car, you guys responsible for everything in the vehicle? >> What was that? >> Are you guys responsible for everything that's inside the car? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Push. Push. Sit. Sit. >> Boy. Boy. Good boy. >> All right, guys. So, my dog is trained to detect odors of marijuana, meth, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. He's giving me a positive indication as to where the marijuana's odor comes from the vehicle. I know you said there's a blunt in there. I'm not worried about the blunt. Do you guys have any meth, cocaine, heroin, or fentanyl in the car? Okay. So, the alert does give me probable cause to search the vehicle. So, if there's anything in the car that I need to be aware of, now's the time to be up. Okay. So, I'm going to go and conduct a search real quick, okay? I want you guys to hang back here with him. All right? All right, everybody turn around. Put your hands behind your back. You're all under arrest. You're under arrest for transportation of dangerous drugs and narcotic drugs. >> During the vehicle search, troopers discovered 41 large Ziploc bags in the trunk containing a crystalline substance. >> Is that a whole thing full? >> Yeah. >> Oh, bro. Hell yeah, dude. Uh, somebody dug in. Yeah, that's got to got to be pretty close to 100 g. You got figure a pound a bag. >> Yeah. >> How many bags do you think it is? You want to pile it up? >> Yeah, let's pile it up. Let's see. That's just still wet, dude. >> I know. Five. >> It's going to be 43 >> 9 >> 10 >> How many? >> 10 >> How many total packages we got? Hold on, I'm going to fix it. >> I already got one. >> Did you >> I need you one for on the work side. >> 41? >> 41 >> I think 41. We're going to recount on the way back. >> The seizure totaled about 57 lb of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of 2.5 million dollars. All three suspects were arrested and charged with drug trafficking.