ST. TAMMANY PARISH - Deputies confiscated nearly 50 pounds of cocaine during a routine traffic stop on I-12 Thursday night.

At 10:30 p.m. deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on a 2016 Ford F-150 that was traveling eastbound on I-12 near Lacombe.

Driver of the truck, Sergio Pereyra, 21, and passenger Jose Pereyra, 22 told deputies that they were heading back to Florida after working in Texas.

During stop K-9 Nero alerted authorities, which prompted them to search the vehicle. During the search, deputies found 48.6 pounds of suspected cocaine hidden inside of a luggage bag that was concealed in a tool box in the bed of the truck.

Deputies also found three tetrahydrocannabinol oil cartridges, a burnt cigarillo containing suspected marijuana residue and two small vials containing suspected cocaine residue within the vehicle.  

The men also had $3,887 in cash, which officials believe to be proceeds from narcotics transactions.

Sergio was arrested and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail for:

- Speeding

- Driving on Right Side of Road

- Driving without a License

- Possession of Schedule I CDS (marijuana)

- Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (cocaine)

- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

- Transactions Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses

Jose was arrested and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail for:

- Possession of Schedule I CDS (marijuana) 

- Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (cocaine) 

- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia 

- Transactions Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses