On April 3rd, 2024, a Moran police officer in Illinois spotted a car on Interstate 57 without a license plate light. He almost let it go, but recalling that more than 2,000 drug smugglers are arrested on this highway each year, he pursued, stopped the car, and proceeded to make the biggest drug bust of his career. >> Hi, how's it going? Okay, >> sounds good. Can I take this? Actually, what I'm going to have you do just step back here so I I don't want to take your phone. Okay. Oh, it's okay. Do me a favor. Shut the car off for me. >> Just a heads up. >> How's it going, man? You doing all right? Take your hands out of your pockets. >> Take yours out of your pockets. Don't put your hands in your pockets. >> My bad. I would just put them in my pocket. Okay, just walk back this way for me. Okay. >> All right. Cool. I apologize right now. >> No, you're all good, man. Take your hands out. Don't Don't touch your pants for me. Okay. I'm going to pat you down. You got any left? >> You doing all right tonight, man? >> I'm sorry to get I Hey, I just don't want you greasing around. I don't know you. Okay, >> we'll talk here in a second. All right, step back here. So, my name's Detective T. The reason I stopped you, man, your license plate lights out. Okay. >> Oh. >> All right. Step back here for me. >> Was it speeding on or was it? Well, your license plate lights out, too. So, that's the reason that I stopped you. Step back here for me. All right. Awesome. What's your first name, man? >> Raphael. >> Raphael. Okay. Right here. >> Okay. Right. North three. I've got one by out of Missouri. Where you headed to? Uh 161 David 241 05. out of Missouri. >> Where you headed to? >> No, we was just all hanging out. >> Do what? >> We were just chilling. Hanging out. >> Well, where you coming from? >> Uh, Kentucky. >> Kentucky. What were we doing in Kentucky? >> Chilling. >> Chilling. And where are you going to? >> Uh, over there St. Louis. We was going to get a hotel. Tell them I was going to get home. >> Okay. Who are these people with you? >> Uh, my the guy and his girlfriend. Okay. >> So, do you know their names? >> Yeah. >> What's their names? >> Well, I know my guy, his name is Angel Nez. >> Okay. Where's he from? >> Chicago. >> Oh, okay. >> Gotcha. And then >> that's where I'm from. >> Okay. Gotcha. And the girl? >> Uh, I don't know. That's his girlfriend. >> Gotcha. We just met. >> Okay. Sounds good. Is there anything illegal in your vehicle? Nope. It's not my vehicle. >> It's not your vehicle? >> No. >> Oh, okay. Whose vehicle is it? >> Uh, my boys. >> One of your boys? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> One of his boys. >> His boys. >> Okay. All right. Do you mind if I search your car >> for for what? No. I don't consent you for a search. >> You don't consent to a search? Okay. Sounds good, man. I just need you to hang tight right here at the front of my vehicle for me. Okay. So, >> why you crying, man? >> It's the cold weather. >> Oh, the cold weather. Okay. >> What's the zip code there in Chicago? >> All right. So, this is I understand that you didn't consent to a search. This is Officer Baker. He's from the Maran PD. Okay. Um, he's going to conduct a free air sniff with his dog. All right. >> Why? I don't consent to that either. >> Okay. You don't have to consent to that. Okay. Is there anything illegal that we're going to find in there? But it's not my car. >> It's not your car. Okay. Just hang tight right here. Okay. >> The driver couldn't object to the dog. The US Supreme Court has held that an exterior sniff during a lawful stop is not a search and does not violate the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches. Once the K9 began sniffing, it quickly became clear why the driver had refused consent. So stopped him for not having the uh rear registration light. >> Oh yeah. >> He uh he uh doesn't know the female in the back. He said that the passenger is his boy. They're going from Kentucky to Chicago, but they're just hanging out and he's crying. >> He's what? >> He's crying. >> Crying. >> Crying. He's Mo Canado sad. >> And he doesn't consent to any searches. >> There's a K9 officer back there. >> Yep. So, I went ahead had them pull out Are you good on a fat down here? >> Yeah, you're good. Yeah, you're good. Fat hurt. >> Yes. Yes. Come on back. >> All the way back. >> Nick, will you take him >> back? >> Yeah. >> Just take him back there. Just keep them separated. >> On, man. How you doing that? >> No. I mean, it's cold out. >> Yeah. >> I can't even do that. water in the back. >> It's a little piece of the back of the road. >> Matt, you want to say what's up? >> Good. Yeah, I got a Let's play a game. LT, >> what's the game today? >> And that game's called What's in the Trunk? Oh my goodness. started blowing his eyes out. So that's not his car. What's in here? What's in there? >> I don't know. I've got all kinds of hills up here. Oh man, it's chilly. Oh, heat, heat. Cut that box open. 95 95 her. What am I under arrest for? >> You're being detained right now. >> 95 brothers remain silent. Anything you say can be used against a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you can't afford one, one will be provided to you. You understand that? 95. >> Officers detained the three suspects, cuffed them, and secured the area. Only then did they count the stash and realize how big the bust was. >> You really need this paraphernelia charge, but this is this is in the back. He said it was in there while we were. So, let's drop that in there. Did you see that LT? >> Yes, sir. >> Do a doll up with Daisy. >> That shit's still wet, bro. >> That is still pretty wet. >> Marin, go ahead and send this one to a team for a transport. >> All right. >> You got a tow sheet done? >> Yep. from Main Street or >> you can get on at main. You're just going to have to back up a little bit. Clear this out the rest. >> Yeah. No, we're going to we're going to keep we're going to we're going to get the rest of the way into it. Oh my god. >> How much you think? 5050 there. Damn, there's nothing in front of me. >> Cell phones. Uh, here is a cell phone belonging to that male. >> Um, I don't know. Did the female have a cell phone? >> I'm not sure. We're going to finish searching the rest of the way. >> What did you find, boss? Oh my gosh. What is that? >> I don't know. I've never seen anything like it before. Looks like snow. Tastes like acid. >> Makes you go real crazy. You always get that they say when people travel in the car don't know one another. >> I'll go check. >> Yes. Just hold on to him. No, I put the dope in there. Oh, no. I don't have room in the very very very back. All right, man. Listen, you got the right to remain silent. Anything you say. Oh, you already advised him of who Miranda was. Okay. Awesome. Sounds good, man. You're going to be transported up to the PD. I'll talk to you up there. Okay. Okay. So, the female says she doesn't even own a phone. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. her her phone has become broken and doesn't have one on her. >> Did you advise her who Miranda was? >> No. >> Okay. >> I did not. Would you like me to? >> Yeah. Will you? >> You like me to interview her about what what was discovered? >> Um, >> see what she has to say? >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> Okay. 172. >> Hey, did you check in for like an Apple Watch or >> No, you don't have >> Okay. I've learned my lesson too many times with that. >> All right. Where can I >> If you want to re go through the back seat. Uh, I have filled up the back seat. Okay. >> All right, brother. We're going to walk down here around the grass. I don't want you around the grass car right there. All right. Can you transport this gentleman to RPD? >> Appreciate it, man. >> I know you've already been through, but I'm going to take Heat. Heat. I was Transporting one male to post. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 in there. >> No, I got all the dope in here. You get us out the transition. Secure open. search, but not as thoroughly as a male officer can search as thoroughly as >> Okay. Sick. >> All right, man. >> So, here's what's going on. Okay. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney and have an attorney present during questioning if you wish. If you can't afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you at no cost. Okay. You can anytime exercise your rights, not answer any questions or make any statements. >> You understand those rights? Yes, sir. >> Would you have any like would you have any inkling to or I'm sorry. First off, you said you understand that, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. I want to talk to you. Is that okay? >> That's fine. >> Okay. You have any idea why you're in handcuffs? >> Yeah, I got an idea. >> Okay. What's that idea? >> You know, you know, I know. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> You know about the stuff in the back? >> I could explain it all. >> Okay. Can we have a conversation here in a minute and we we get that explained? >> Okay. All right. What was your first name, man? >> Angel. >> Angel. Okay. Angel, where are you from, man? >> I'm from Chicago originally. Live in Brooksville. >> Where are you coming from? We're coming from uh I'm not too sure cuz I haven't been driving different state. >> I forgot what state. >> Okay. All right. And who is driving? >> Tank. >> Huh? >> My friend Tank. >> Tank. >> Yeah. The Raphael. >> Okay. Gotcha. And how long have you known him? >> I've been knowing him [ __ ] since high school. I guess met up with him lately, though. It's been years. >> I got you. Listen, I didn't test that stuff in the back yet. What's it going to pop for? >> I have no clue. I have no >> Okay. Is it heroin? >> I don't think I don't think so. >> If you had to guess, what would it be? >> Uh, I forgot what they said it was. What they said it was? I'm not sure. >> Not sure. Not heroin, though. >> Is it fentanyl? Am I going to get killed when I open it up? >> No. >> Okay, I think so. >> Okay. Could it be meth? >> Probably. >> Probably meth. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right, man. So, hang tight. Just one second. Okay. I unlocked it if you want to open the door. Back seat. >> Front. Front seat. Driver door. talk to somebody that can get me out of the jam. >> Huh? >> I need to talk to somebody that can get me out of the jam. >> Well, that would be me, boss. >> Can I talk to you somewhere else? >> We're We're going to talk somewhere else. We're not going to talk right here. Okay. >> Will you stand by with him real quick? >> Yeah. Yeah. They They said the RORO is a angel. >> Yeah. Is that your car? >> Yeah, my car. >> Okay, >> got you. >> Tell back to our lot and we'll decide what we want to do. You want to talk to him? He knows who Miranda is. So it >> up here. >> Looks like 14 gallon Ziploc bags full, man. >> Yeah. Wednesday, Wednesday night. windows. >> Yeah. Let's go for it. >> Yeah. >> That is some big. Let's take them more records off the shelf. That'll do. >> That'll do. That's a Looks like a felony amount of methamphetamine. >> Yeah. >> All in the trunk. >> Yeah. And the trunk and the zip or in the cardboard box. They watched everything. >> So, you got two cell phones. Is that uh the big guy and the female? Because we've got we've got the >> Do you think this is a pound a piece or a kilo a piece? I'd say probably a kilo. Yeah, I would probably >> Have you counted how many bags? >> Yeah. >> Um >> 19 or 14, I'm sorry. 14. >> Yeah. >> Um you got two cell phones there. >> Yeah. She doesn't have a cell phone and I didn't find one in there. >> Okay. So, you got Angel's cell phone? >> Yes. >> Okay. I'm sorry. I was sorry. >> Do we already have a toe coming? >> Yeah. >> Toe's coming. 20 yards before they get in here with you. >> Yeah, >> we're going to have him out of here in just a second. Will you go ahead and take her? The other guys want to come up here and look at this [ __ ] in the car. So, trying to get everybody up out of here. Where's 14 at? >> I don't know. >> Yeah, he he gave he gave all the indicators. >> I just I want I wanted to go through the questioning just just to see how he would react to it. And I was like, "Anything illegal in the car?" And he's like, "That's not my car." And I was like, >> "Don't answer." >> Okay. >> Okay. >> He was just cold stare the whole time whenever he open the trunk. >> He started he started crying. >> And the thing is is I would I would believe him with this wind cuz my eyes are watering a little bit too. But it was just one eye. >> Oh yeah. >> It was just one solid tear. >> Yeah. And I'm like, "Ooh, buddy. That >> that's a real cry. That's a I'm going to go to jail. >> He's done this before. He know he knew what this He knew what it looked like. >> What's up, man? >> Long time no long see. >> Yeah, I appreciate it, man. >> Oh, no. We appreciate it. Yeah. You guys want Oh, yeah. Yeah. It was uh it was in the box in the trunk. The dog dog smoked the trunk. So yeah, that's >> Yeah, sure. >> It's still pretty still pretty. >> Yeah, they were talking about it on 2 lb, bro. >> Yeah, I figured it was probably 30. >> So, >> we'll uh we'll get it up there, get it weighed. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> And then we'll get it get it over to you guys. So, I'm going to go ahead and head up if you guys want to look through the car to Yeah, toes on the way. But uh he was he was driver. Angel the uh Roro was the passenger. Vimo was the back seat. This passenger went ahead and read a Miranda and he's like, "Hey man, I want to I want to [ __ ] talk to somebody [ __ ] out of this." So I was like, "Oh, okay. Police seized 33 lbs of elicit drugs valued at about $5.6 million from the suspects. The driver, male passenger, and a female passenger were all charged with drug trafficking and may face additional federal counts for interstate transport. If convicted, they could face 15 years to life.