A member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s East Bureau Interdiction Plus team arrested two men on drug related charges in Coffee County on Friday.
Driver Osman Mohamed, 40, of Kansas City, Ks., and passenger Sheikh Abdulqadir, 57, of Kansas City, Mo., were arrested and charged with possession of schedule IV drugs with intent to resale. They were transported to the Coffee County jail.
While patrolling a stretch of Interstate 24 in Coffee County, Trooper Brent McCawley stopped a Toyota Corolla for littering near the 109 mile marker on the westbound side of the interstate. Upon initial contact, the investigating trooper immediately noticed nervous behavior from the occupants. They supposedly had been to Atlanta after visiting a friend.
After several suspicious indicators, Trooper McCawley requested and received consent to search the vehicle. Trooper McCawley and Trooper Gavin Sullivan, who responded to the scene to assist, then discovered five large boxes in the trunk of the vehicle. The driver stated that the boxes contained tea leaves. However, after further investigation, the troopers found that the boxes were packed with “KHAT” – a plant-based drug containing hallucinogenic compounds.
The total weight of the drugs was approximately 11 pounds.