Nashville, Tennessee --- The Tennessee Department of Safety released results from three Tennessee Highway Patrol's Homeland Security Hazardous Materials Checkpoints. The checkpoints were held August 10 in Knoxville , June 28 on Monteagle Mountain near Chattanooga and June 27 in Manchester , TN. Each checkpoint lasted from 8 a.m. until early evening and involved a broad range of federal, state and local partners.

A total of 5,084 trucks went through the three checkpoints, resulting in the discovery of 115 safety defects, including a number of hazardous materials violations. A total of 312 trucks underwent detailed inspections with 19 drivers placed out of service for hours of service or log book violations and two were removed for not having a current commercial driver license. A total of 17 trucks were also removed from service for safety defects. Those trucks were required to be repaired on site before they could be placed back into service.

Two trucks were also found to be carrying contaminated seafood bound for 14 locations in seven cities around the Nashville area. The trucks were spotted trying to bypass the inspection site and ordered to pull over. Troopers discovered boxes of the contaminated seafood, sealed the trucks and ordered them back to Georgia , where they had originated. Once the trucks returned to Georgia , USDA inspectors oversaw the destruction of the contaminated food.

"More trucks travel through Tennessee than any other state in the southeast, and most states in the country," stated Interim Department of Safety Commissioner Gerald Nicely. "These Homeland Security Checkpoints are vital in ensuring the safety of these hazardous materials trucks and trucks carrying overseas containers. I am pleased to see the Highway Patrol leading this charge to keep our citizens safe and setting an example for other states to follow."

Dozens of State Troopers, THP Special Operations K-9 explosives detection dogs, along with personnel from the federal and state Departments of Homeland Security, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF), State Fire Marshall's Office, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), Tennessee National Guard, Knoxville Police Department, and Knoxville Emergency Management Agency participated in the drills.

"Keeping our roads safe is the primary goal of the Tennessee Highway Patrol," Colonel Mike Walker commented. "These three checkpoints are the first of many we will be conducting across the state in an effort to ensure commercial traffic traveling through Tennessee is safe and in compliance."

A breakdown of each individual Homeland Security Checkpoint is attached to this release.

The Tennessee Department of Safety's mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.