Driver, passenger arrested after I44 traffic stop turns up drugs

Springfield, MO - On December 4, 2011, at approximately 7:34 a.m., an eastbound International conventional tractor-trailer truck, which was failing to display the proper identification markings, was stopped by a state trooper on Interstate 44, near Missouri Route 125, in Greene County. After recognizing several indicators of suspected criminal activity, the trooper obtained consent to search the vehicle. In addition, a Patrol K-9 sniff yielded a positive alert by the canine. A roadside search revealed two boxes of marijuana, weighing approximately 65 pounds, located inside the trailer.

The driver, Alberto C. Gortari, and the passenger, Rafael Canas, of Phoenix, Arizona, were arrested for drug trafficking and transported to Greene County Sheriff's Office.

The charges for which the above individuals were arrested are mere accusation and not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the above charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it is to determine guilt or innocence.