Drug Arrest on 1-10

Sheriff Keith Korenek reports that on Sunday, March 1, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Sergeant Thumann and Investigator Smith with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 in Austin County.
Upon contact with the driver and occupants of the vehicle several indicators of criminal activity were observed. Consent to search the vehicle was obtained. Sergeant Thumann deployed his canine, “Kolt” to conduct an exterior sweep of the vehicle. Kolt alerted positively to the odor of illegal narcotics.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, deputies located two suspicious spools of rope in the bed of the truck. Further inspection revealed the spools had been modified to conceal 42 bags of methamphetamine.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Mario Aranda Gomez, 57 years of age, of Houston, Texas, was placed under arrest and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine. He was transported to the Austin County Jail without incident.
Members of the Westside Narcotics Task Force (HIDTA) were called to the scene to assist with the investigation.
Based on the totality of the circumstances and the direction of travel along the Interstate 10 corridor, investigators believe the methamphetamine may have originated from Mexico and was en route to Houston area for distribution.