Two British Columbia men have been arrested in California on suspicion that they were transporting cocaine in a truck, according to a report by the Barstow Daily Press.
The report said a traffic stop on Interstate 15 between Barstow and Victorville uncovered about 150 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $2.8 million, hidden in a compartment under the bed of a pickup truck.
The driver of the truck, Benjamin Schwarz, 25, and passenger Jakub Lonski, 29, both of British Columbia, were arrested on suspicion of transportation of cocaine, with additional charges likely pending, officials said.
Detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's High Intensity Criminal Interdiction team, who declined to be identified by name, said they stopped the pickup truck on northbound Interstate 15 north of Hodge Road at about 12:50 p.m., after seeing the truck swerve abruptly in front of another car as a sheriff's vehicle approached.
The driver and passenger appeared nervous and gave consent for detectives to search the truck.
Detectives said they noticed a discrepancy in the depth of the truck bed, leading them to think there might be a compartment underneath.
A drug-sniffing dog that was brought to help in the search also gave an alert at the back of the truck. Detectives drilled a hole in the bottom of the truck bed, and a substance that was later field-tested positive as cocaine began to fall out of it.
According to the newspaper report, officials had the truck towed and then opened the bed of the truck, revealing a compartment full of cocaine.
