A traffic stop in South Carolina led to two arrests after police discovered 1,500 grams of cocaine reportedly hidden inside a prosthetic stomach of a passenger who appeared to be pregnant.
Anthony Miller and Cemeka Mitchem were taken into custody after a “proactive patrol” traffic stop in South Carolina on April 12, CBS News reported. During the traffic stop, deputies reportedly became suspicious of Miller and an apparently pregnant Mitchem when the couple “gave conflicting information about her due date,” the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted to Instagram Sunday.
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When it became apparent that deputies were growing suspicious of the pair, Mitchem reportedly attempted to flee the scene which resulted in the concealed drugs “very quickly” falling from her “fake rubber stomach,” the post continued. In all, sheriff’s deputies collected more than 1,500 grams of cocaine. (RELATED: Indiana Police Find $2.8 Million In Cocaine During Routine Traffic Stop)
Drug overdoses within the state have increased significantly in the past several years, leading officials to take steps in stopping the trend. “We all have a role to play in ending the stigma surrounding substance use disorders and being a conduit for those who need help but can’t or won’t take those first steps to reach out,” South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control Public Health Director Dr. Brannon Traxler, stated in a February press release.
The proactive patrols are designed to deter crime, detain would-be offenders, and maintain the public order with an overall hope of fostering a safe, positive community for citizens, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s office.
Miller and Mitchem are both being held without bail and charged with trafficking cocaine. If convicted, they could serve up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.