Wheaton Man Nabbed in $19 Million Cocaine Bust

A Wheaton man has been arrested after Sheriff's police found cocaine in the trunk of a car in Maywood, following a traffic stop.

According to a news release from the Cook County Sheriff's Police, Jose Ramirez-Rodriguez, 23, of the 1300 block of Pershing Road in Wheaton faces charges related to the delivery and possession of cocaine; driving the wrong way on a highway; driving without a license; and operating a motor vehicle without a license. His passenger, Efrain Rodriguez-Juarez, 32, of the 1400 block of Walnut Circle in Carol Stream faces charges related to the delivery and possession of cocaine. Both men are charged with Class X felonies that carry up to 30 years in prison.

On Sept. 11 at around 8 p.m., Cook County Sheriff's Gang Unit officers spotted Ramirez-Rodriguez' Toyota Camry facing the wrong direction on Maybrook Drive, in the oncoming traffic lane from 1st Avenue in Maywood. Maybrook Drive is the road that leads to the Cook County Sheriff's Police headquarters. Officers pulled Ramirez-Rodriguez over and he could not produce a driver's license. Police said both appeared nervous, and gave officers conflicting information as they were being questioned.  Officers also noticed the two men had a statue of Jesus Malverdes—the "patron saint" of drug traffickers—placed on the center console.

Police said they discovered 50 kilos of cocaine in the trunk of the car with an estimated street value of $19,350,000. 

The men face an Oct. 5 court date in Maywood.