Car fire call leads to drug bust

Two men face felony charges after approximately 150 to 200 pounds of marijuana were recovered in the trunk of one of the vehicles on a semi-truck car hauler that was on fire on Interstate 80, Tuesday night.

According to the arrest affidavit, on Tuesday Sept.13 at approximately 9:20 p.m., Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Bryan Woods was dispatched to a semi-truck car hauler on fire at mile marker 42, on I-80 near Potter.

Cheyenne County Deputies had both lanes of eastbound I-80 closed, as the Potter and Sidney fire departments were attempting to extinguish three vehicles on the car hauler that were on fire.

The affidavit stated that Trooper Woods was directing traffic at the Potter interchange when he was contacted by Nebraska Department of Roads and Potter Fire Department (PFD), who said he was needed at the scene of the fire as there were large amounts of marijuana falling out of the trunk of one of the vehicles on the car hauler as it was being extinguished.

Trooper Woods responded to the scene and had PFD personnel empty the contents of the trunk onto a large tarp.

According to the report, the items removed from the trunk were large, double heat-sealed type bags with “green leafy bud substance and burnt substance.” The substance was believed to be, and later confirmed, to be marijuana.

The vehicle the substance came out of was a Black BMW, with no plates and a unreadable VIN number. Evidence was not found during the investigation of a drug stamp.

The affidavit stated that the “green leafy substance” took five volunteer firemen to lift and put in a Wing Task Force vehicle, due to the substance’s weight. Initial estimates were that the amount weighed 150 to 200 pounds.

The semi was driven by 37-year-old Rati Tsakadze of Hialeah, Fla., and the passenger was 20-year-old Toma Beridze of San Mateo Calif.

In the affidavit, Beridze told Trooper Woods that the trucking company belonged to his father. Berdize said that he had told the Potter Fire chief that the vehicle in question belonged to his father as well, and the vehicles were being transported from California to Pennsylvania.

After observation of the evidence it was in Trooper Woods opinion, through his training and experience, that the amount of marijuana recovered was intended for distribution and not personal use.

Berdize and Tsakadze are both facing charges of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver or distribute, a Class IIA Felony and possession of a controlled substance more than one pound a Class IV felony.

All vehicles, trailer and property were transported to and are currently being held in the Cheyenne County impound lot.

Berdize and Tsakadze posted 10 percent of their $100,000 bond. Their arraignment is set for Oct. 24 at 10 a.m., in the Cheyenne County courthouse.