PECOS COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Deputies with the Pecos County Sheriff’s Office located approximately 27 pounds of suspected methamphetamine in the spare tire of a vehicle.

According to a post by PCSO, on Saturday, September 23rd, a K9 Unit was patrolling Interstate 10 when a vehicle made an unsafe lane change, before following a commercial vehicle at an unsafe distance. The Deputy then conducted a traffic stop, contacting the driver.

During the traffic stop, the Deputy observed factors of criminal activity and suspected the vehicle contained illegal narcotics. PCSO’s K9, Axel, performed a free air sniff around the vehicle, alerting to the smell of narcotics.

Using a probable cause search, deputies from PCSO located 17 packages concealed in the spare tire of the vehicle, containing about 27 pounds of methamphetamine.

The driver, a 42-year-old male from San Elizario, Texas, was placed under arrest.

The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted the Pecos County Sheriff’s Office, taking custody for arraignment on federal drug trafficking charges,