Investigators say 80 kilograms of cocaine were seized in the Pittsburgh area as part of a large-scale drug trafficking investigation.
The FBI says Darnell Rhinehart and Lamar Lewis were arrested in connection with this investigation. They both face charges of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Officials say investigators tracked Rhinehart and watched him on video meet with a tractor-trailer at an unspecified location on Monday, then load multiple cardboard boxes from the truck into his vehicle. He got to and left the area within two minutes.
FBI agents and Pennsylvania State Police troopers tracked Rhinehart to a Pittsburgh bar hours later. Lewis reportedly drove to the same bar, parked near Rhinehart’s vehicle, then took four cardboard boxes from Rhinehart’s vehicle and put them in his truck.
Investigators say Lewis put what seemed to be a heavy bag into Rhinehart’s vehicle before driving off.
Police stopped Lewis’ vehicle later in the night and found 40 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the cardboard boxes and a loaded 9mm stolen semi-automatic pistol.
Investigators were also continuing to monitor Rhinehart and saw him pick up a red backpack at a home in an unspecified location, then go to another Pittsburgh bar. He went into the bar with the bag, then left without it.
It was at this point that the FBI says investigators arrested Rhinehart. Five kilograms of cocaine were found in the backpack at the time of Rhinehart’s arrest and searches at multiple other locations turned up 35more kilos of cocaine concealed in cardboard boxes. Investigators say they also found large sums of cash and a shotgun.
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