Texas man stopped on I-10 in Pass Christian had meth and cocaine hidden in his car

Justin Mitchell
Updated ·1 min read
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A Texas man will spend more than 11 years in federal prison after being found with 2.5 kilograms of cocaine and 1 kilogram of meth during an Interstate 10 traffic stop on the Mississippi Coast.

Miguel Mendoza, 33, was sentenced Thursday for possession with intent to distribute meth in U.S. District Court in Gulfport, according to a press release from the Drug Enforcement Agency and U.S. Attorney’s Office. He’ll serve 135 months behind bars.

Mendoza is from Elgin, Texas, and was pulled over Oct. 17, 2022 while driving eastbound on I-10 in Pass Christian.

Harrison County Sheriff’s deputies conducted an extensive search on the vehicle and found an access panel for two improvised compartments on each side of the vehicle’s drive shaft.

The compartments held the large quantities of cocaine and meth, the DEA said in the release. Tools were also located inside of the car that could raise the vehicle to gain access to the apartment.

The case was investigated by the DEA and prsecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.