The Nueces County District Attorney’s Criminal Interdiction Unit was formed about a year ago to keep drugs and other contraband off the roads.
“It’s not only the Nueces County District Attorney office working to meet a common goal, in partnership with the Robstown police department. But it’s a huge team effort, we’ve worked with I think every agency in this county,” says Special Investigator Mike Tamez, supervisor within the Interdiction Unit.
Tamez says the only way this task force can work properly is with the support and help of all the agencies within Nueces County.
This Interdiction Unit makes routine traffic stops along U.S. 77 between San Patricio and Kleburg Counties. During these traffic stops, it takes the proper training to bust a smuggler. Tamez says this is the kind of work that takes an experienced officer. “We pulled $74,000 recently out of a all-wheel drive transfer case on a front-wheel drive car. That car has been stopped and searched previously,” Tamez says. This vehicle in-particular was stopped and searched 6 times beforehand, it took some hard work before Tamez and the rest of the Interdiction Unit were able to discover the money inside the vehicle.
Just in 2019 alone, this unit has confiscated
- $154,000
- 234 lbs of marijuana
- 49 lbs of meth
- 500 THC vape viles
With a total of 7 compartments found, which Tamez says, “he’s most proud of.” This is because it does take a special investigation of a case to find contraband within a vehicle.
Tamez says he would eventually like to get more experienced officers on the unit, to make the 24/7 job stronger. He stresses that without the partnerships and help of the other agencies within Nueces County, none of the work from the pass year would be possible. “The law enforcement agencies in Nueces county are working very very close with each other and are working hard to keep the folks here safe and free of the drugs.”
