Authorities seize cash, meth in major drug bust

By Staff
Melissa Dozier-Cason, FCT staff writer
Franklin County Sheriff's Department in conjunction with Colbert County Sheriff's Department, Tuscumbia, Russellville and Red Bay Police Departments seized over a pound of ICE, thousands of dollars in drug money, and pulled five drug traffickers from the streets last week.
"We believe we have in custody mid level drug traffickers," attorney Joey Rushing said during a press conference called by Franklin County Sheriff Larry Plott.
Franklin County's Special Response Team as well as SRT teams in Colbert County served search warrants leading to the seizure of 1.1 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and $27,000 in drug money, Plott said.
"The street value of meth is approximately
The teams made a total of four seizures and five arrests on drug trafficking charges in Franklin and Colbert Counties. Each seizure lead authorities to the next, Plott said.
"This shows the effort that law enforcement is making to get drugs off the streets," Plott said.
Earlier last week Colbert County law enforcement took Tomy Rosario, Muscle Shoals; Maria Mojica, Russellville; and Jason Dill, Underwood Mountain. Bond for Mojica and Rosario was set at $100,000. Dill was already on bond for three previous charges. His bond was revoked upon his arrest, Ronnie May, Colbert County Sheriff, said.
In Franklin County, authorities have two in custody. Alvarado Estela Mojica, 24, Russellville, and Jal Alejandro Carba, 24, Russellville, were arrested Thursday and charged with drug trafficking, Plott said.
Upon his arrest, authorities learned that Carba was an illegal alien. His bond was set at $100,00 cash, and he faces probable deportation, Rushing said.
Mojica's bond was set at $40,000, Rushing said.
"This is an example of what we can accomplish when different law enforcement agencies cooperate and work together," May said.
The large quantities of money and drugs illustrates that the suspects were doing business in both Franklin and Colbert Counties, Plott said.
"We want to thank all the different law enforcement agencies that participated in these seizures," Plott said. "We could not have done this without their hard work."