Traffic Stop Yields a Lot More Than Heads of Lettuce

A routine traffic stop and truck inspection by a Houston police officer on Sunday night (Feb. 21) of an 18-wheeler supposedly carrying just a load of lettuce resulted in a large drug bust with nearly one ton of marijuana on board.

The seizure of 1,995 pounds of marijuana led to the arrest of the truck's driver and lone occupant, Paulino Guerra (H/m, DOB: 8-11-74).  He is charged with felony possession of marijuana in the 174th State District Court.

Guerra's truck was stopped in the 13400 block of the East Freeway (East Interstate Highway 10) near Market Street about 4:45 p.m. on Sunday.  The seized marijuana was packed in numerous bundles and has an estimated street value of $3.1 million.  Other boxes on the truck were filled with lettuce.