By LEONARD GRAY-Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A commonplace traffic stop for no taillights turned into the shutdown of a virtual illegal drug supermarket on wheels for St. John Parish sheriff’s deputies early Saturday morning.

Cpl. Jose Rel of Sheriff Wayne L. Jones’ Felony Intercept Unit was on the streets of LaPlace when he spotted a red, four-door Nissan Saturday at 1:10 a.m. with no taillights.

He pulled the car over at Airline Highway and McReine Road. When the driver exited the Nissan and approached Rel, the distinctive odor of marijuana was “reeking” from the suspect’s clothing, according to Capt. Michael Tregre, department spokesman.

Rel called for a K-9 drug team and obtained approval from the suspect for a consent search of the vehicle.

When Cpl. Brian Bertrand and his dog “Naska” arrived the K-9 immediately found drugs in the vehicle, Tregre said.

“He apparently didn’t expect a search by a drug dog,” Tregre added.

(See DRUGS, Page Page 10A)