Suspected human trafficking leads to drug seizure
Posted/updated on: April 9, 2024 at 6:14 pmNACOGDOCHES COUNTY â The Nacogdoches County Sheriffâs Office said that three people were arrested for numerous felonies on Tuesday in connection to a âsuspected human trafficking incident.â According to our news partner KETK, the incident started as a traffic stop by Nacogdoches County Sheriffâs Office deputies who pulled over a black 2009 BMW X5 SUV on Tuesday night at the intersection Durst Street and Stallings Drive in Nacogdoches. Deputies reportedly noticed an 8-year-old asleep in the backseat of the car and an empty alcoholic beverage in the floor board. Deputies then asked to search the vehicle and found a black duffle bag in the backseat floor board, according to a press release.
Officials estimated that the drugs are worth over $150,000. Luis Emmanuel Quevedo-Vasquez, 29, Carmen Guadalupe Diaz, 24, both of Green Bay, Wisconsin, were all taken into custody when the drugs were discovered. Diaz and Quevedo-Vasquez were asked about the child and they reportedly couldnât give deputies the childâs last name or itâs motherâs name. Officials said this is an ongoing investigation.
The duffle bag allegedly contained the following items:
A loaded AR-style pistol
5.37 lbs of cocaine in heat-sealed packages wrapped in silver tape
2.23 lbs of methamphetamine in heat-sealed packages wrapped in silver tape
3.21 lbs of heroin in heat-sealed packages wrapped in silver tape
Deputies then contacted officials in Wisconsin and Christina Soledad Soler, 32, of Green Bay, was identified as the childâs guardian. Soler was contacted and eventually showed up at the Nacogdoches County Sheriffâs Office with five more children in her vehicle.
âBased on information developed during the investigation, deputies believe the child traveling with Diaz and Quevedo-Vasquez was being used to mask the drug smuggling operation. All six children were released to Child Protective Services while a suitable guardian is found.â
Nacogdoches County Sheriffâs Office
The three were arrested for organized criminal activity, trafficking of persons and abandoning/endangering a child. Soler was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Quevedo-Vasquez and Diaz were both also charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance and unlawfully carrying a firearm. Quevedo-Vasquez is also facing another charge of possession of a controlled substance and a failure to identify charge after he allegedly provided a false identity to the deputies.
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The Nacogdoches County Sheriffâs Office added that Quevedo-Vasquez also now has an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer since heâs allegedly in the country illegally.