Tennessee Highway Patrol Traffic Stop Leads to Drug Arrest

NASHVILLE --- Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Trooper Dwayne Stanford stopped a Greyhound bus for speeding in Haywood County on Wednesday, resulting in the drug arrest of a male passenger on board. Trooper Stanford is a member of the THP’s East Bureau Interdiction Plus Team.   

The traffic stop was initiated on the eastbound side of Interstate 40 at mile marker 66 at approximately 12:30 p.m. this afternoon. While Trooper Stanford gathered information from the bus driver, nearby Jackson Police Department Officer Kevin Bray and his K-9 assisted with an exterior “sweep” of the bus. The K-9 alerted near the passenger side cargo of the bus, and once opened, positively responded on a red suitcase contained in the area.

Trooper Stanford then requested the driver to make an announcement for the name found on the luggage tag. The passenger, Ariel Rivas, 18, identified himself as the owner of the luggage. Trooper Stanford was granted consent to search the suitcase, where he discovered various forms of narcotics.

Officer Matt Sipes with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force arrived on the scene and identified the drugs as ICE methamphetamine (approx. 1 kilogram), cocaine (approx. 4 ounces) and marijuana (approx. 7-10 pounds).

Rivas was taken into custody and charged with possession of schedule II drugs with intent to deliver/sale (2 counts) and possession of a Schedule VI drug with intent to deliver/sale (1 count). He was booked into the Haywood County jail.

A booking photo of the suspect can be obtained from the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver of the Greyhound bus was issued a warning citation for speeding.

The DEA and Jackson Police Department Special Operations Unit assisted in the investigation.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure that our state is a safe, secure place in which to live, work and travel; enforce the law with integrity; and provide customer-focused services professionally and efficiently.  

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