PORT ALLEN — On Friday, Feb. 14, a Louisiana State trooper made a traffic stop on Highway 415 north of I-10 in Port Allen. During that stop, troopers were able to seize $1.1 million, cocaine, and nearly 200 pounds of marijuana. Lenny Collado, 29, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was arrested.
Around 9:30 a.m. Friday morning, a trooper working Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) enforcement was conducting an inspection of a cargo tank truck when a separate truck with dry van trailer made a U-turn and stopped to speak to him. The trooper spoke to the driver (Collado) who said that there were multiple vehicles following him and trying to block him from getting fuel nearby.
The trooper asked to Collado to pull onto the shoulder so that he could finish the inspection he was conducting. After completing the inspection, the trooper spoke to Collado from the passenger side of the truck to get Collado’s paperwork and log book for a CMV inspection.
That’s when the trooper allegedly noticed a white plastic bag on the floorboard between the front seats and sleeper that appeared to be filled with a large amount of cash.
When asked about the cash, Collado allegedly told the trooper he was going to use the money to buy a truck soon.
According to officials, because of the money and the fact that Collado didn’t have the required log book for his trip, the trooper called for help from West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.
That’s when troopers searched the truck with the help of West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office deputies. In the CMV inspection, they said that there was an unlocked lock on the floorboard outside the door of the trailer and none of the cargo was secured, which is against federal regulations.
During their search, they say they found multiple loose boxes open on the floor and more cash in a clear bag inside. Authorities say they found approximately $1,147,638.00 in U.S. currency, approximately 183 pounds of suspected marijuana, and approximately seven grams of suspected cocaine in their search of the vehicle.
Collado was booked into West Baton Rouge Parish Prison on the charges of one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids and one count of transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses.
Download the Unfiltered with Kiran app from the Apple App Store and Google Play to stay updated on the latest news across the Capital area.
Support UWK and its mission to deliver The News You Deserve. Unfiltered. Become a monthly patron on Patreon today!
