MDOT seizes $7M of pot

[Resent id=12652597 2011-09-16 15:02:56 from mississippipep] – Crime & Courts – www.sunherald.com: www.sunherald.com/2011/09/15/3433566/mdot-seizes-7….html

Mississippi Department of Transportation law enforcement officers said a tractor-trailer they stopped this week was hauling about $7 million worth of marijuana through Hancock County.

MDOT announced on Thursday they stopped the 2005 Peterbuilt tractor and van trailer on Tuesday morning at the Interstate 10 eastbound inspection station for a routine weight, safety and paperwork check. MDOT officers found 126 plastic wrapped, 55-pound bundles of marijuana that together weighed about 7,000 pounds. The trailer also contained 55 gallons of mango puree.

MDOT said Thursday they, along with officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, are investigating where the marijuana came from, and where it was going.

Charges against the driver were pending Thursday, MDOT said.
“This is a significant seizure,” said Chief Willie Huff, MDOT’s director of enforcement.”I am very proud of our officers and their diligence. We must continue our vigilance for all types of contraband before it reaches our streets or impacts our Homeland Security.”

#Mississippi #MDOT #Public #Safety #Transportation #crime #MBN #DEA #drugs

Illegal Mexican immigrant to plead guilty in identification fraud case in Mississippi

- The Washington Post: www.washingtonpost.com/national/illegal-mexican-im….html

JACKSON, Miss. — Federal court records in Mississippi say an illegal immigrant from Mexico plans to plead guilty to participating in a group that allegedly created and distributed fake identification documents.

Pastor Quihua-Gonzalez is one of 11 charged in an alleged scheme to make fake Social Security cards, driver’s licenses and state identification cards. Most of the defendants are illegal immigrants. Prosecutors say they’ve identified approximately 80 real identities that were used in the production of the fraudulent documents.

Quihua-Gonzalez’s attorney, Maura D. McLaughlin, said in court records Friday that 25-year-old Quihua-Gonzalez intends to plead guilty to conspiracy. A judge has set a court date for Oct. 6 in Hattiesburg.

Court records detail a sophisticated operation in which names and pictures were allegedly sent by cell phones and then used for fake documents.

#Mississippi #illegal #immigration #fraud #public #safety

Car insurance State lags here, too

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110913/OPINION01/1…ome|s

According to USA TODAY, 13.8 percent of Americans are driving without liability insurance. But in Mississippi, where’s it’s mandatory by law, some 28 percent are flouting the law.

Of 22 states requiring insurance, it’s particularly bad here because the Legislature has failed to require proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was quoted as saying.

This past session, House Bill 620 would have allowed tax assessors and tax collectors to deny car tags to motorists who aren’t insured.

But it died in the House after being so watered down as to be worthless.

When the 2000 Legislature OK’d the law, it looked tough. Those without an insurance card face up to a $1,000 fine and a 1-year driving suspension. But if it’s not enforced, it’s worthless, leaving law-abiding drivers in an accident to pick up the tab for those without liability coverage.

#Mississippi #Insurance #HB620 #Mike #Chaney #Legislature #House #Public #Safety

Car insurance State lags here, too

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110913/OPINION01/1…ome|s

According to USA TODAY, 13.8 percent of Americans are driving without liability insurance. But in Mississippi, where’s it’s mandatory by law, some 28 percent are flouting the law.

Of 22 states requiring insurance, it’s particularly bad here because the Legislature has failed to require proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was quoted as saying.

This past session, House Bill 620 would have allowed tax assessors and tax collectors to deny car tags to motorists who aren’t insured.

But it died in the House after being so watered down as to be worthless.

When the 2000 Legislature OK’d the law, it looked tough. Those without an insurance card face up to a $1,000 fine and a 1-year driving suspension. But if it’s not enforced, it’s worthless, leaving law-abiding drivers in an accident to pick up the tab for those without liability coverage.

#Mississippi #Insurance #HB620 #Mike #Chaney #Legislature #House #Public #Safety

Car insurance State lags here, too

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110913/OPINION01/1…ome|s

According to USA TODAY, 13.8 percent of Americans are driving without liability insurance. But in Mississippi, where’s it’s mandatory by law, some 28 percent are flouting the law.

Of 22 states requiring insurance, it’s particularly bad here because the Legislature has failed to require proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was quoted as saying.

This past session, House Bill 620 would have allowed tax assessors and tax collectors to deny car tags to motorists who aren’t insured.

But it died in the House after being so watered down as to be worthless.

When the 2000 Legislature OK’d the law, it looked tough. Those without an insurance card face up to a $1,000 fine and a 1-year driving suspension. But if it’s not enforced, it’s worthless, leaving law-abiding drivers in an accident to pick up the tab for those without liability coverage.

#Mississippi #Insurance #HB620 #Mike #Chaney #Legislature #House #Public #Safety

Car insurance State lags here, too

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110913/OPINION01/1…ome|s

According to USA TODAY, 13.8 percent of Americans are driving without liability insurance. But in Mississippi, where’s it’s mandatory by law, some 28 percent are flouting the law.

Of 22 states requiring insurance, it’s particularly bad here because the Legislature has failed to require proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was quoted as saying.

This past session, House Bill 620 would have allowed tax assessors and tax collectors to deny car tags to motorists who aren’t insured.

But it died in the House after being so watered down as to be worthless.

When the 2000 Legislature OK’d the law, it looked tough. Those without an insurance card face up to a $1,000 fine and a 1-year driving suspension. But if it’s not enforced, it’s worthless, leaving law-abiding drivers in an accident to pick up the tab for those without liability coverage.

#Mississippi #Insurance #HB620 #Mike #Chaney #Legislature #House #Public #Safety

Car insurance State lags here, too

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110913/OPINION01/1…ome|s

According to USA TODAY, 13.8 percent of Americans are driving without liability insurance. But in Mississippi, where’s it’s mandatory by law, some 28 percent are flouting the law.

Of 22 states requiring insurance, it’s particularly bad here because the Legislature has failed to require proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was quoted as saying.

This past session, House Bill 620 would have allowed tax assessors and tax collectors to deny car tags to motorists who aren’t insured.

But it died in the House after being so watered down as to be worthless.

When the 2000 Legislature OK’d the law, it looked tough. Those without an insurance card face up to a $1,000 fine and a 1-year driving suspension. But if it’s not enforced, it’s worthless, leaving law-abiding drivers in an accident to pick up the tab for those without liability coverage.

#Mississippi #Insurance #HB620 #Mike #Chaney #Legislature #House #Public #Safety

Car insurance State lags here, too

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110913/OPINION01/1…ome|s

According to USA TODAY, 13.8 percent of Americans are driving without liability insurance. But in Mississippi, where’s it’s mandatory by law, some 28 percent are flouting the law.

Of 22 states requiring insurance, it’s particularly bad here because the Legislature has failed to require proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was quoted as saying.

This past session, House Bill 620 would have allowed tax assessors and tax collectors to deny car tags to motorists who aren’t insured.

But it died in the House after being so watered down as to be worthless.

When the 2000 Legislature OK’d the law, it looked tough. Those without an insurance card face up to a $1,000 fine and a 1-year driving suspension. But if it’s not enforced, it’s worthless, leaving law-abiding drivers in an accident to pick up the tab for those without liability coverage.

#Mississippi #Insurance #HB620 #Mike #Chaney #Legislature #House #Public #Safety

Car insurance State lags here, too

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110913/OPINION01/1…ome|s

According to USA TODAY, 13.8 percent of Americans are driving without liability insurance. But in Mississippi, where’s it’s mandatory by law, some 28 percent are flouting the law.

Of 22 states requiring insurance, it’s particularly bad here because the Legislature has failed to require proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was quoted as saying.

This past session, House Bill 620 would have allowed tax assessors and tax collectors to deny car tags to motorists who aren’t insured.

But it died in the House after being so watered down as to be worthless.

When the 2000 Legislature OK’d the law, it looked tough. Those without an insurance card face up to a $1,000 fine and a 1-year driving suspension. But if it’s not enforced, it’s worthless, leaving law-abiding drivers in an accident to pick up the tab for those without liability coverage.

#Mississippi #Insurance #HB620 #Mike #Chaney #Legislature #House #Public #Safety

Car insurance State lags here, too

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110913/OPINION01/1…ome|s

According to USA TODAY, 13.8 percent of Americans are driving without liability insurance. But in Mississippi, where’s it’s mandatory by law, some 28 percent are flouting the law.

Of 22 states requiring insurance, it’s particularly bad here because the Legislature has failed to require proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was quoted as saying.

This past session, House Bill 620 would have allowed tax assessors and tax collectors to deny car tags to motorists who aren’t insured.

But it died in the House after being so watered down as to be worthless.

When the 2000 Legislature OK’d the law, it looked tough. Those without an insurance card face up to a $1,000 fine and a 1-year driving suspension. But if it’s not enforced, it’s worthless, leaving law-abiding drivers in an accident to pick up the tab for those without liability coverage.

#Mississippi #Insurance #HB620 #Mike #Chaney #Legislature #House #Public #Safety