MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A routine traffic stop in Marathon turned into a major drug bust after deputies discovered a significant amount of cocaine, marijuana, and cash inside a vehicle.
The incident occurred Saturday night on U.S. 1 near 20th Street. Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies pulled over a Toyota Prius driven by 36-year-old Michael Lee Beaston of Hollywood, Florida, following reports of a domestic altercation at a nearby resort.
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Upon approaching the vehicle, deputies noticed a strong odor of marijuana. A search of the car revealed a substantial quantity of cocaine, 32 grams of marijuana, and over $31,000 in cash.
Beaston was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
His passenger, a 51-year-old woman also from Hollywood, was charged with trafficking cocaine. Both were taken to Monroe County Jail.
Both suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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