The St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office seized approximately 10.8 pounds of suspected meth and a firearm during a traffic stop that occurred near Mandeville over the weekend. On Saturday morning, members of the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Highway Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop on a pickup on Highway 1088 in Mandeville after observing a traffic violation. The driver, Martin Alameda Pineda, did not possess a valid driver’s license, and he told deputies he was traveling from Houston to Baton Rouge, despite being approximately 75 miles past his stated destination. A consensual search of Pineda’s vehicle and belongings was conducted and deputies located approximately 10.8 pounds of suspected methamphetamine in bags on the floorboard of the backseat and a 9-millimeter pistol under the center console. Pineda was placed under arrest and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail on a host of charges.
