Release:
On August 18, 2021, members of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office Interstate Criminal Enforcement team conducted a traffic stop on I-75 south bound at the 9-mile marker for failure to maintain lane. During the course of the traffic stop deputies made contact with Dayron Alfonso Cardenas and began the enforcement action of the traffic stop. During this time deputies detected the odor of green marijuana emitting from the vehicle. Based upon the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle a probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted. The search of the vehicle led to the discovery of approximately 81.7 pounds of green marijuana in the trunk of the vehicle, and 362.8 grams of hashish. Alfonso Cardenas was arrested and taken to the Lowndes County Jail where he was booked on the chargers of; failure to maintain lane, driving while license suspended, trafficking in marijuana, and possession of schedule I with the intent to distribute.
On August 12, 2021, members of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office Interstate Criminal Enforcement Team conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle north bound on I-75 for traffic infractions. Contact was made with the driver and registered owner of the Volkswagen Jaime Lozano Valles of Florida. Valles was traveling alone and consented to a search of his vehicle. Deputies discovered approximately 2 kilos of fentanyl, valued at $200,000.00, and 2 kilos of heroin, valued at $150,000 inside the vehicle. In addition to the narcotics, Valles was found to possess a firearm. Valles was arrested and transported to the Lowndes County Jail and charged with trafficking of fentanyl, trafficking of heroin, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
On August 3,2021, members or the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office Interstate Criminal Enforcement unit conducted a traffic stop on interstate 75 north bound at the 7 mile marker for following to closely and failure to maintain lane. During the traffic stop Deputies became suspicious of criminal activity, and called certified narcotics canine. Canine conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to narcotic odor. During a probable cause search of the vehicle approximately 11.3 pounds of crystal methamphetamine was located concealed within 3 separate laundry detergent boxes. This quantity of methamphetamine has a street value of approximately $330,000 dollars. The driver of the vehicle was subsequently arrest for trafficking in methamphetamine and taken to the Lowndes County Jail.
