Nashville, Tennessee --- A Tennessee State Trooper making a traffic stop discovers cocaine and heroin., valued at nearly half a million dollars.

On Wednesday August 29, 2007, a THP Trooper stopped a 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse at the 42 mile marker on I-75 at approximately 8:30 a.m., for suspicion of DUI. The Trooper pulled the vehicle over after he observed it swerve out of its lane several times and then slow down to 48 mph in a 70 mph zone. The car also did not have its headlights on, even though it was raining. When the Trooper questioned the driver and the passenger, both men appeared to become nervous, and the driver could not produce any identification.

While checking the vehicle, the Trooper discovered large bins of kitty litter in the back of the car. Hidden in the kitty litter was 10 kilos of cocaine and 3 kilos of heroin.

The suspects are identified as 28 year-old Hector Guajarda and 29 year-old Jose Daniel Lara, both of San Antonio, Texas. The DEA was notified and responded to the scene, and the suspects were taken into federal custody. Both made their initial appearance in federal court Thursday and are scheduled to appear at a detention hearing on Wednesday, September 5th.

The vehicle and the drugs were seized in accordance with state law.

Photos of McMinn County Drug Seizure

Hector Guajarda	Jose Daniel Lara

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.