LAKE CHARLES, LA. — A Louisiana tow truck driver was busted with 63 pounds of cocaine in his truck early Saturday morning in Sulphur.
Elton J. Richard, 42, of Church Point, La., was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center on a charge of "possession of CDS II (cocaine) over 28 grams" where his bond was set at $250,000 according to a news release from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office.
A Deputy with the "Combined Anti-Drug Task Force," or CAT Team, pulled over Richard in his tow truck along eastbound Interstate 10 near mile marker 23 at about 4:30 a.m. Saturday for a traffic violation the release said.
While talking to Richard the deputy noticed he was acting suspiciously and asked to search the tow truck the release said.
When Richard refused the search the deputy then had his drug detection K-9, "Sam," conduct a "free air sniff" around the tow truck according to the release.
After "Sam" indicated a positive response to the odor of a controlled substance coming from the truck it was searched and deputies found the powder cocaine, with an estimated street value of $870,000, in 27 bundles the release said.