Massive DPS safety operation on I-10 yields 2,500 pounds marijuana, 20 kilos cocaine and cash

PRESS RELEASE

Arizona Department of Public Safety seizes almost 2,500 pounds of marijuana and $100,000 in suspected drug cash as part of massive, two day commercial vehicle safety operation

Operation involved 85 DPS Officers who focused primarily on reducing vehicle crashes.

Monday, April 04, 2011 -

The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), through a partnership with the Arizona Trucking Association (ATA) and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), conducted a high-visibility enforcement operation and public outreach event on March 29 and 30, 2011.

Enforcement activities as part of the operation, which involved over 85 DPS Officers, were conducted along Interstate 10 from the California state line to the city of Casa Grande. A related public outreach event was held at the Burnt Wells rest area about 40 miles west of Phoenix. ATA’s Share the Road 18-wheeler and various ATA and DPS staff were present at the rest area to communicate the Operation Safe Passage and Share the Road message to motorists.

The goal of the Operation Safe Passage and Share the Road detail was to increase commercial vehicle and non-commercial vehicle traffic enforcement in an effort to reduce collisions. Furthermore, the operation strived to increase motorist safety through seat belt enforcement, commercial driver roadside inspections and commercial driver regulatory compliance inspections. Lastly, the operation was designed to educate the motoring public about how to operate their vehicles in a safer fashion around large commercial motor vehicles.

During the detail, DPS Officers also focused on criminal activity involving commercial motor vehicles. During the two day detail DPS seized:

2,445 pounds of marijuana

$99,820 in U.S. currency

20 kilos of cocaine

In addition, 12 drivers were arrested for criminal activity and charges are pending.

The two-day detail centered on officers conducting traffic stops on commercial vehicles and passengers cars. The officers performed 671 commercial vehicle inspections resulting in over 1,500 violations being discovered. Based on the total inspections performed, nine percent of the drivers and ten percent of the vehicles were placed out of service. The Officers also stopped 97 passenger cars resulting in the issuance of 105 moving violations along with several equipment violations.

Additional results from the detail are shown below:

130 driver-related out of service violations were discovered

62 drivers were placed out of service for those violations

107 vehicle related out of service violations were discovered

66 commercial motor vehicles were placed out of service for those violations

There was one DUI Arrest with a BAC of .115 percent

34 bus inspections were completed

3 bus drivers were placed out of service for duty status report violations

1 bus was placed out of service for equipment violations