Greenfield, IN – An Indiana State Trooper’s routine patrol on I-70 near Mount Comfort Road led to a major drug bust on Sunday afternoon, February 18, 2024. The trooper, a certified inspector for commercial vehicles, stopped a semi-truck at 1:19 p.m. for a Federal Motor Carrier Inspection. The inspection revealed a log book violation, and further interactions with the driver and co-driver raised suspicions.
Consenting to a search, the trooper discovered dozens of packages within the truck, hidden among boxes of onions and other produce. These packages were later confirmed to be cocaine through a field test. The driver, Jose N. Perez, 66, and passenger, Miguel Rodriguez, 60, both from California, were arrested and taken to Hancock County Jail. They face charges of Dealing in Cocaine (Level 2 Felony) and Possession of Cocaine (Level 3 Felony) filed by the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation, a collaborative effort between the Indiana State Police, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hancock County Prosecutor, led to the confiscation of the semi-truck, now at Johnson’s Towing in Greenfield.