Routine Traffic Stop Nets 21 Kilograms of Cocaine; Arrests Made
On Thursday, February 1, 2024, Investigators with the 32nd District Attorney’s Office conducting routine traffic enforcement operations on US Highway Interstate 20, initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for observed traffic violations inside of Nolan County.
During the course of the traffic stop, several indicators were identified, leading to reasonable suspicion the occupants were engaged in criminal activity.
A K-9 Unit was requested from Sweetwater Police Department to assist with the traffic stop and was deployed on scene indicating a positive alert for the odor of narcotics inside the vehicle. During the subsequent search, Officers located compartments inside the vehicle suspected of holding contraband.
The vehicle was relocated to a safer location to finish searching.
After gaining access to the compartments, 18 bundled packages were located concealed inside.
The 18 bundled packages weighed approximately 46.9 lbs and field tested positive for cocaine...
On January 23, Officers from the Sweetwater Police Department were called to the Love’s Truck Stop due to a suspect detained for shoplifting. Officers responded and upon their investigation, found the suspect, 56-year old Alejandro Alvarado, to be in possession of approximately $250,000 in currency being transported with him back to Mexico.
Additional evidence obtained during the investigation indicated the suspect was engaged in extensive amounts of illegal trafficking activity. Alvarado was booked on the charges of Shoplifting as well as Money Laundering >=$150,000>$300,000 -and remanded to the custody of the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office.