New details have come to light since Friday after a pilot and his passenger were arrested in Brenham for trafficking drugs. Department of Public Safety Investigators found more than 65-pounds of marijuana, cocaine and a firearm inside the single engine plane.
Whether it's by ground, water, or even by air -- the Department of Public Safety -- is always watching.
In fact, Friday undercover agents with the DPS CID - zeroed in on this fixed-wing single engine Cessna 172. The pilot, Vernon Murphy and his passenger Freddy Aguayo, both from Texarkana, had flown to McAllen on business.
"Some months are a little more active than others,” said DPS Trooper Jimmy Morgan. “Narcotics is a 12-month, all year-long business and some months are more active than others.”
After picking up nearly 70 pounds of cargo -- authorities believe the two would then make their way back to Texarkana. The content of the cargo, however, is exactly what caught the attention of DPS.
An aircraft zeroed in on the Cessna for 350 miles -- but made its move after Murphy landed at the Brenham Airport to refuel. Those agents, along with Troopers and Washington County Sheriff's deputies moved in. Murphy and Vernon were arrested after DPS discovered that cargo was 65 pounds of marijuana, three ounces of cocaine and a .40 caliber handgun.
After a little digging, we found out this isn't Aguayo's first drug arrest. In 2000 he was convicted and sentenced to 28 years in prison for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. Although the court assessed punishment at twenty-eight years - he was released after 14.
According to investigators, Murphy hasn't had any run-ins with the law...at least until now.
Murphy remains in the Washington County Jail on $210,000 bond. Aguayo's bond is set at $1.4 million.
The investigation continues.
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What's usually a quiet airport turned into the scene of a drug bust.
"There were about ten different vehicles," said Adam Crow.
Crow was working near the Brenham Municipal Airport when he says it all went down about nine Friday morning.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says one of its planes had been following a single engine plane flying from South Texas suspected of trafficking drugs. When that plane needed to refuel, an opportunity presented itself.
DPS troopers and Washington County Sheriff's deputies moved in.
"During the stop we located 60 pounds of marijuana, three grams of cocaine and a 40-caliber pistol," said Department of Public Safety Trooper Jimmy Morgan.
Two men were arrested. Investigators are not releasing any information on the suspects. The drugs they say they found on the plane were confiscated.
"It looked like that guy was about to have a real bad day," Crow said. "It looked like they were waiting for him. They definitely had some kind of information on him. They were prepared and as soon as they got here they went into motion."
Investigators are not saying where the plane was headed. They are questioning the suspects to find out if this is part of a larger operation.
"Sometimes we get a lucky break and we get information, or through conducting an investigation we're allowed to catch some of these folks and deal with that," Trooper Morgan said. "Today has to be one of these days."
The Department of Public Safety says it's working with other Federal investigators on the case.
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