PORTER CO.- On Monday, November 10, a routine traffic stop during severe weather conditions led to the seizure of approximately 11 pounds of suspected cocaine.
A trooper was on State Road 49 when he observed a gray Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling at a high rate of speed despite snow and ice-covered roads. The area where this occurred is also a construction zone. After initially failing to stop, the driver finally pulled over on the ramp to US 30. The driver, Daniel Aguilar Ramirez, 35, of Knox, IN, presented a California driver’s license to troopers.
During the traffic stop, Ramirez provided inconsistent statements regarding his route of travel and destination. A K-9, who is trained and certified in the detection of illegal drugs, conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle and gave a positive alert to the presence of narcotics in the Jeep. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed an Amazon box that contained four vacuum-sealed, brick-shaped packages, consistent with packaging used in drug trafficking. A field test produced a positive result for cocaine.
Ramirez was taken into custody and transported to the Porter County Jail, where he is being held on an immigration detainer for ICE, as it was determined that Ramirez is an illegal alien. He is also charged locally with dealing cocaine, a Level 2 felony.
All suspects are presumed to be innocent until/unless proven guilty in court.
