Traffic stop leads to drug trafficking arrest

A Key West man was arrested for cocaine trafficking and possession of a large amount of marijuana after a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon.

Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Monroe-HIDTA task force stopped a van driven by 61 year old Paul Fraga at 2 p.m. on Atlantic Boulevard in Key West. The van had illegal window tinting on it, precipitating the stop.

A strong odor of marijuana was noticeable inside the vehicle as the detectives spoke with Fraga at the driver’s side window. A search of the van turned up small amounts of marijuana in several locations inside. A vacuum sealed bag of white powder was also found in the center console which turned out to be 32 grams of cocaine.

Fraga was cooperative with detectives and admitted to having a quarter pound of marijuana at his house on Seidenberg Avenue. He gave consent for the detectives to search his house, where they recovered a further 250 grams of the green leafy substance, along with several items of drug paraphernalia.

Fraga was arrested. He was charged with possession of a felony amount of marijuana, trafficking in cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Assisting with the investigation was United States Customs and Border Protection Air & Marine Operations, United States Border Patrol, Monroe County Special Operations Narcotics Unit and the Key West Police Narcotics Unit.

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