Stolen vehicle, drugs uncovered
BY MATTHEW YBARRA
Managing editor
A Brazos County Constable Deputy uncovered a stolen vehicle, illegal narcotics and over $70,000 in cash during a traffic stop just outside of Navasota. Brazos County Precinct 3 Deputy, Andrew Drake, was patrolling the 27000 block of Texas State Highway 6 in Navasota when he observed a black 2021 GMC AT4 truck displaying fraudulent paper tags on the rear bumper. Knowing fraudulent dealers victimize unknowing car buyers in this manner, as well as, criminals using this tactic to mask criminal activity, Drake initiated a traffic stop.
The driver, Jose Samuel Castaneda Solano, of River Oaks, Texas, displayed a Mexico identification card. During the investigation, the truck was verified to be stolen from Harris County in the spring of 2021. The vehicle identification number tags/stickers were removed and replaced with fraudulent identifiers. The driver was detained.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a brown paper sack in a compartment under the rear seat. The press release issued stated inside the paper bag were “three large gray duct-taped bundles, which is common packaging for illegal narcotics or proceeds from narcotic transactions, since the suspect attempts to conceal any type of odor from narcotics that could be detected by a law enforcement canine. It was clearly not commonplace packaging used to transfer monies from one banking institution to another.” Drake utilized his Narcotic Detection Canine, Diego, who alerted the presence of narcotics on the duct-taped bundles found in the brown paper sack.
The press release described what was found in the bed of the truck. “In the bed of the truck there was shrink-wrap packaging, vacuum sealer bags, ducttape, and liquid soap/axle grease wrapped bundles that appeared to have been cut open and the narcotics removed. The wrapping and shape of the packages is often seen used in transporting narcotics (based on the small rectangular shape when packaging kilograms of narcotics). The packages also had a cartoon illustration on the outside of the bundle which is a form of branding drug dealers use. The opened packaging from the truck bed and silver duct-taped bundles were seized. The interior of the opened packaged bundles (from the truck bed) were tested for the presence of narcotics and the results tested positive for methamphetamine.”
Paper sack bundles discovered under the rear seat were opened. “Under the layer of duct-tape were additional layers of “food saver” vacuum sealed bags. This layer was cut open revealing numerous stacks of U.S. currency rubber banded together in $2,000 bundles of $5, $10, and $20 bills, which is typical of narcotic transactions. The amount of U.S. currency totaled $73,200.
Solano was arrested and transported to Brazos County Detention Center. He was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, a State Jail Felony, and Money Laundering 30,000<150,000, a Third-Degree Felony. Other charges are pending based on further investigations.
The truck was confiscated and will be released back to the rightful owner after a thorough investigation is completed.