DRUG BUST UNCOVERS A RECORD $132,980

A Tuesday afternoon traffic stop yielded drugs, weapons and $132,980
in cash, the largest money seizure ever by the Alachua County
Sheriff's Office.

Deputies arrested two men from Virginia and one from Georgia on
various drug and weapons charges.

The incident happened about 5:05 p.m. on Interstate 75 when deputies
Jeremy Eckdahl and Josh Mead pulled over the driver of a 1996 Range
Rover for swerving between lanes.

Sheriff's Lt. Mike Thompson said the deputies smelled marijuana
coming from the car when they questioned the men. Thompson said the
suspects gave deputies permission to search the car.

A stolen 9 mm Glock pistol and $2,980 was found in the center
console. A Ruger 9 mm pistol was found under the back seat and
$130,000 was found in a blue bag between the car's back hatch and
rear seat. "I got there 30 to 40 minutes after the stop and it just
reeked. They were smoking blunts," said Thompson, referring to
marijuana smoked in hollowed-out cigars.

"They were going from Atlanta to Miami. With the money they had, they
were probably going to pick up -- I'm guessing -- 10 kilos (of
cocaine) or a little more."

Arrested were: Terrell Brown, 26, of Richmond, Va., on charges of
possession of a fictitious driver's license, possession of a firearm
by a convicted felon, possession of a concealed firearm and grand
theft of a firearm.

He also was charged with entering a controlled substance into a jail
when officers found 13 ecstasy tablets in his pockets at the Alachua
County jail, Thompson said.

Jermaine Denver Lawrence, 25, of Richmond, on charges of possession
of a concealed firearm.

Sedrick Vaughner, 20, of College Park, Ga., on charges of grand theft
of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and
carrying a concealed firearm.

Thompson said state law enforcers estimate that one in 12 cars on
I-75 is carrying drugs, ranging from small amounts of pot to sizable
quantities of cocaine.

It is not uncommon for deputies patrolling I-75 to make drug arrests,
but the Sheriff's Office said this was the largest seizure of cash it
has ever made.

The Sheriff's Office can receive 80 percent of the cash if the men
are convicted.

The remaining 20 percent will go to the federa Drug Enforcement
Administration, which assisted in the case.