BRIEFS: Crime

Drugs discovered during traffic stop

virgilio de león/la prensa

busted: Police haul away the bags of cocaine that were confiscated yesterday during a traffic stop in Vacamonte.1101790

Three people, two Colombians and a Panamanian, were arrested yesterday after police found 500 kilos of cocaine in their vehicles during a traffic stop in Vacamonte, in the district of Arraiján.

According to a press release from the Policía Nacional, those arrested were Juan Antonio Valencia, 37, Jorge Alberto Caicedo Ibarguen and John Edward Riasco. No ages were listed for two of the defendants, and the press release did not make it clear which of them is Panamanian.

The arrest took place after a police officer noticed the two vehicles being operated in an erratic manner.

A roadblock was set up and the two vehicles were stopped.

Police found a total of 19 bags containing a substance that was later determined to be cocaine.

Police confiscated the vehicles, a silver Nissan Pathfinder and a gray Nissan Xterra.