Two arrests have been made after law enforcement in Rankin County seized roughly 18 kilograms of cocaine.
On Tuesday, a Rankin County deputy assigned to criminal interdiction stopped a vehicle along U.S. Highway 49 for a traffic violation. Additional interdiction officers from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office and the Madison Police Department responded to assist.
During the stop, K-9 Axel reportedly alerted the vehicle. Deputies searched the Honda and found the cocaine concealed in a hidden compartment.
The driver and passenger, identified as 24-year-old Esmeralda Torres-Marquez and 35-year-old Fernando CID (sic), were arrested and booked into the Rankin County Jail on charges of aggravated trafficking of a controlled substance.
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics responded and is assisting with the investigation.
“I appreciate the work of our deputies and the assistance of the Madison Police Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics,” Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey said. “By working together, we can intercept illegal drugs before they reach our communities. We want Rankin County to remain a safe place to live, raise a family, and retire.”