Routine traffic stop on Mississippi highway leads to discovery of 44 pounds of cocaine in hidden compartment

Published 4:48 pm Monday, June 23, 2025

A routine traffic stop by a Mississippi police officer led to the discovery of 44 pounds of cocaine inside a hidden compartment in the stopped vehicle.

According to the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), a deputy with the department’s Interdiction Task Force pulled over a white Chevrolet SUV around 1 a.m. on June 22. The stop occurred on Highway 49, near Highway 80, after the driver was observed swerving out of his lane.

The driver was identified as John Jermaine Norman.

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Authorities said after the deputy requested and received consent to search the vehicle, a “man-made aftermarket compartment” was found inside the SUV. This hidden compartment contained 20 kilograms (approximately 44 pounds) of suspected cocaine.

Norman was immediately arrested and has been charged with trafficking a controlled substance. He is currently being held at the Rankin County Detention Center without bond, awaiting his initial court appearance.