HAYWOOD COUNTY, TENNESSEE — A routine traffic stop on Interstate 40 in West Tennessee led to a major drug seizure early April 21 after agents found fentanyl and xylazine hidden inside a secret compartment in a tractor-trailer hauling freight from California to Knoxville.
Agents with the West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force said the stop happened during the early morning hours on I-40 in Haywood County after a tractor-trailer was observed traveling eastbound “without due regard.”
Traffic Stop Led to K-9 Alert and Search
After the stop was initiated, agents said they quickly developed reasonable suspicion and deployed Canine Pongo.
Pongo alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the contents of the trailer, giving agents probable cause to search the load.
During that search, agents said they located a secret compartment within the cargo. Inside, they found about 16 pounds of material that field tested positive for fentanyl, along with a 50-milliliter bottle labeled as Mexican-manufactured xylazine.
Officials said xylazine, also known as “Tranq,” is a veterinary horse tranquilizer that is commonly mixed with fentanyl and also abused on its own. Authorities said the drug is naloxone-resistant and is a common contributor to overdose deaths in Tennessee.
Load Was Bound for Knoxville
Investigators said the truck was hauling freight from Compton, California, to a location in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The driver was identified at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The task force said agents were able to rule out any involvement by the driver.
Authorities estimated the wholesale value of the seized drugs at about $80,000, with a street value approaching $500,000.
Investigation Continues
The case remains under investigation. Agents said forensic examinations are being conducted on packaging and electronics recovered from the scene.
D.A. Steve Mulroy, one of three board members overseeing the task force, called fentanyl and xylazine “among the deadliest of poisons being trafficked today.”
“Congrats to the DTF agents, especially our new recruit Pongo, who definitely deserves a treat,” Mulroy said.
Task Force Director Johnie Carter also praised the operation.
“I’d like to commend all involved Agents on a job well done in getting this fentanyl and Xylazine off the streets of Tennessee, making it a safer place to live, work and raise a family,” Carter said. “Furthermore, I would like to extend my kudos to Canine Pongo and his handler on making their first seizure as a team. I am proud of their teamwork and am looking forward to what’s to come.”
Officials said Pongo is a 1-and-a-half-year-old mixed breed, half German shepherd and half Belgian Malinois, and had been assigned to the task force just two weeks before making the seizure.
The West Tennessee Drug Task Force operates through an agreement between the district attorneys general for the 28th, 29th, and 30th Judicial Districts. Any state charges tied to the case will be prosecuted by the Office of the District Attorney General for the 28th Judicial District, Frederick Agee.
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