Suspected Meth, A Firearm, Large Amount Of Cash Discovered During Traffic Stop

A firearm, suspected methamphetamine and large amount of cash discovered by police during a traffic stop Friday night resulted in a 41-year-old Sulphur Springs man’s arrest, according to arrest reports.

Sulphur Springs Police Special Crimes Unit Sgt. Joe Scott reported seeing a GMC sport utility vehicle illegally parked. When the car left, officers initiated a traffic stop on the corner of Martin Luther King Drive and Gilmer Street.

Scott reported seeing an open container near the center console. He had the man in the vehicle step out, then patted him down. Scott alleged finding a glass pipe of the kind used to smoke methamphetamine and detained the man.

A search of the SUV revealed a 9mm pistol and 1.8 grams of suspected meth near the driver’s seat. A large amount of cash (nearly $8,000) was found in a backpack in the back seat. Several items of drug paraphernalia, including a large amount of plastic bags of the type used for narcotics packaging and sales were also located. Communications operators advised 40-year-old Alexander Garza of Sulphur Springs is a convicted felon.

Suspecting the money to be proceeds from the sale of illegal narcotics, police arrested Garza at 9:45 p.m. on unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and money laundering charges. He remained in Hopkins County jail Saturday morning on the charges, according to jail reports.

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The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.