While it’s a bad idea to participate in illegal activities, some criminals are smarter than others. One suspect brought attention to himself by having an illegal tint on his truck. Then, police officers found tons of cocaine hidden inside. 

Texas police officers bust truck driver for illegal tint and find cocaine 

26-year-old Fernando Mardrid Mendoza of Odessa, Texas, was driving his truck along Interstate 20 when he saw flashing blue lights in his rearview mirror. 

Police officers initiated a traffic stop near mile marker 93 because the pickup had an illegal window tint. Instead of running, Mendoza pulled over in the blue GMC Sierra. 

According to MRT, police officers noticed that something seemed off about the situation when they spoke with  Mendoza. So, they decided to call in a K-9 team. 

The good boys quickly sniffed out six kilograms of cocaine. They seemed pretty happy with themselves for doing a good job. About seven kilos of cocaine has an estimated street value of $245,000. 

Fernando was charged with 1st degree felony manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance over 400 grams. He was booked into the Ector County Detention Center with a $75,000 bond. 

It’s possible that he may face more charges due to the illegal truck tint. Also, the GMC Sierra was probably seized as evidence. 

Unfortunately, the reports don’t list where the drugs were hidden in the vehicle. But it’s becoming increasingly popular to hide illegal items in vehicle batteries. 

In Texas, window tints are considered illegal if they reduce light transmission on the front side windows to under 25%. Plus, tints in shades of red, amber, and blue are illegal as they’re reserved for emergency vehicles.