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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A 55-year-old retired Michigan firefighter is facing charges after he was caught transporting pure cocaine and methamphetamine, worth millions of dollars, hidden in his car.

“This is the stuff that is sent to drug dealers before it’s cut. So, this is the stuff that is just pure cocaine,” said Aaron Brilbeck, the Public Information Officer for the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. “It means he was probably transporting for somebody that was high up on the food chain.”

Oklahoma County Deputies caught Steven Tye transporting pure drugs across state lines on Halloween. They said the 55 year old was pulled over after he forgot a turn signal and drove over fog lines along Interstate 40 near Agnew.

Brilbeck said the deputy is with the Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma (CITCO), which consists of several different agencies who patrol the same areas and communicate with each other.

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Steven Tye

When the deputy was at his window, Tye allegedly whipped out his Michigan Fire Department badge and offered a fishy detailed story.

“He explained he was a retired Michigan firefighter and that he had gone to Las Vegas working for a catering company and was just helping out with some catering. He flew down, he says, then he borrowed his boss’ car to drive back,” said Brilbeck. “On his way back, he stopped in Dallas, which Dallas is not on the back along I-40.

“Details that were trying to paint him out to be a nice guy. ‘I’m a firefighter. I’m taking care of my sick mother.’ Lots of things to garner sympathy.”

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Millions of dollars in drugs.

Drug dogs were brought to the scene, and they sniffed out a hit within all four car doors. Stuffed inside, deputies found 13 pounds of high-grade cocaine and 23 pounds of meth.

“Our guys were able to look inside where the window goes up and down and they were able to see several bags down in there,” said Brilbeck.

Brilbeck said the street value of the drugs is estimated at about $3.2 million.

The Sheriff’s Office said Oklahoma’s in the crossroads of America. This kind of drug trafficking is not rare, but the person transporting can be anyone.

“When you’re thinking about someone who’s a mule for drug dealers, you don’t think of a 55-year-old guy driving a Chevy Tahoe. But, that’s exactly who it was,” said the PIO.

Tye is now at the Oklahoma County Jail facing aggravated trafficking illegal drug charges.