CRIME

Police: 1,499 bags of heroin inside speeding SUV on I-95

Brittany Horn
The News Journal

A traffic stop along I-95 near New Castle led to the discovery of more than 1,400 bags of heroin and nearly $8,000 in cash, according to state police.

A state trooper pulled over a speeding vehicle along I-95 southbound and found more than 1,400 bags of heroin and suspected drug proceeds inside.

Troopers were conducting speed enforcement at about 3 p.m. on I-95 southbound just south of Del. 141 Saturday when a bronze Cadillac SUV went by going above the posted speed limit, said Master Cpl. Gary Fournier, a spokesman with Delaware State Police. The trooper pulled over the SUV just south of the state Department of Transportation yard, also known as the "sandbox," Fournier said.

The 27-year-old driver of the SUV was contacted, as well as the front seat passenger, identified by police as 32-year-old Jamal Wade, of Patterson, New Jersey. Troopers did not release the name of the woman.

A search of the provided IDs showed the woman was driving on a suspended license, Fournier said, and Wade did not have an ID. Police also smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle, he said.

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Both Wade and the woman were then told to exit the vehicle while troopers searched the SUV. Inside, they found on the third row floorboard a bag containing 1,499 bags or about 22.48 grams of heroin, Fournier said, and more than $7,900 in suspected drug proceeds in the glove box.

The two were then taken into custody by police and transported to Troop 6 where Wade was charged with possession of heroin. He was taken to Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington on $60,000 secured bail.

The woman was released after receiving a traffic citation for speeding, driving while suspended, driving without valid insurance and possession of marijuana.

Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.