Man holding drink cup full of meth ‘confidently’ lets warden search truck, officials say

A Texas man was acting calm and collected as a game warden searched his vehicle for drugs, all while holding a cup full of methamphetamine, officials said.

The game warden conducted a traffic stop after spotting a pickup truck hauling a trailer with broken lights and “other transportation violations” near Lubbock, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said in a Nov. 8 news release.

After the vehicle was pulled over, the driver and passenger waited with a deputy while the game warden looked up the driver’s information, the release said. At one point, the driver retrieved a burrito and 44-ounce drink from the truck, with permission from the deputy, officials said.

When the game warden asked the driver’s consent to search his truck, the man “confidently complied, stating he did not have any drugs or anything in the vehicle,” according to TPWD.

But when the game warden asked to take a look at the drink in the driver’s hand, he was suddenly hesitant, the release said. Eventually, the driver handed over the drink, the game warden lifted the lid and found an orange bag inside, which held 5 grams of a substance that tested positive for meth, officials said.

According to investigators, the driver also confirmed that the substance was meth.

The driver was taken into custody.

This story was originally published November 12, 2023 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Man holding drink cup full of meth ‘confidently’ lets warden search truck, officials say."