Mobile County sheriff’s deputies pulled over a pickup truck and trailer on Interstate 10 this week and found an unusually large haul of alcohol packed inside — nearly 2,000 cans of beer along with several bottles of liquor and wine.
Deputies stopped the truck, a 2013 Ford F-150 towing an attached trailer, after noticing an expired tag, according to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. With consent to search the vehicle, a deputy discovered more than 100 cases of beer, several cases of Corona, boxed wine and multiple large bottles of vodka, whiskey and tequila stacked inside the trailer.
Authorities say the group told investigators they were headed toward Gulf Shores for spring break festivities. Several young occupants of the vehicle, all under the legal drinking age, were cited for being minors in possession of alcohol and released at the scene.
The stop is one of several alcohol-related enforcement actions Mobile County authorities carry out each spring as college students travel through the region on their way to Gulf Coast beach destinations. Deputies say routine traffic stops for equipment violations frequently uncover much larger issues once a vehicle is searched.
The sheriff’s office said the case remains under review as citations are processed. Officials continue to remind drivers passing through the area during peak travel weekends that routine violations, such as expired tags, can lead to closer inspection of a vehicle’s contents.
Mobile County has stepped up patrols along the interstate corridor in past spring break seasons, citing concerns about impaired driving and underage drinking as thousands of visitors move through the area between Interstate 10 and coastal Baldwin County.