The State : $80 Million in Cocaine Seized

An Imperial County sheriff’s deputy found 1,500 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $80 million stashed under carpet scraps in the bed of a pickup truck stopped for speeding, authorities said. The driver allegedly offered Deputy Al Reyes a $50,000 bribe to “just let him go,” said Lt. Mike Schneewind, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman. The driver was taken into custody, but no charges were immediately filed. The muddy, 1987 Chevrolet pickup was being driven at a high rate of speed along California 86 near Salton City when it was pulled over, the lieutenant said. The alleged bribe offer prompted a search of the truck, which netted more than 20 bags of cocaine. The bags were hidden underneath strips of carpet, Schneewind said. “Fifteen hundred pounds is a little more than personal use,” Schneewind said. “This is definitely one of the larger finds we’ve made.”