Jose Ramirez-Rodriguez, 23, of the 1300-block of Pershing Road in Wheaton, has been charged with manufacture and delivery of cocaine; possession of cocaine; driving the wrong way on a highway; and driving without a license, a Cook County Sheriff's Department press release said.
Ramirez-Rodriguez's passenger, Efrain Rodriguez-Juarez, 32, of the 1400-block of Walnut Circle in Carol Stream, has been charged with manufacture, delivery and possession of cocaine.
Officers say on Saturday around 8 p.m., they spotted Ramirez-Rodriguez's Toyota Camry facing the wrong direction on Maybrook Drive in Maywood. Maybrook Drive is the road that leads to the Cook County Sheriff's Police headquarters.
Officers say they pulled Ramirez-Rodriguez over, and he could not produce a driver's license. Police say both men appeared nervous and gave officers conflicting information as they were being questioned. Officers also noticed the two men had a statue of Jesus Malverdes, the "patron saint" of drug traffickers, placed on the center console, the press release said.
The cocaine seized has an estimated street value of $19,350,000.
The next court date for both men is October 5 in Maywood.
