An Estimated $10 Million in Cocaine Confiscated from Rental Car
A Chevrolet Malibu rental was found with four black duffle bags in the trunk stuffed with the illegal drug.
The Pueblo Police Department of Colorado seized $10 million worth of cocaine the morning of Sept. 12 from the trunk of a rental car on Interstate 25, according to an article from the Denver Post.
Officer Nick Martinez spotted the driver of the vehicle making an illegal lane change and pulled him over. After checking the license of the driver, 37-year-old Mark Bailey of Sylmar, Calif., the officer held him on suspicion of driving under a suspended license and without insurance, and called for backup.
Once the officers arrived, a police canine was immediately drawn to trunk of Bailey’s Chevrolet Malibu rented from Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The trunk opened to reveal four black duffle bags containing 100 kilos of cocaine.
According to Deputy Chief Andrew McLachlan, this incident is the biggest drug bust in the city’s police department history. He also noted that the I-25 corridor is well-known for being a frequent pipeline for moving drugs into the United States — especially from Mexico.
Bailey and his passenger, Lisa Calderon, 36, also of Sylmar, were arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs around 10:25 a.m.
More Rental Operations
Clean on Paper: Red Flags in Exotic Car Rental Verification
A suspicious $45,000 Lamborghini booking reveals the strengths and limitations of renter verification, from forged insurance documents to coverage gaps and unauthorized drivers. (Part 2 of 3)
Read More →
Turo and Tesla Take the Next Step Toward Autonomous Car Rentals
The partnership brings Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology into the rental experience, offering a glimpse of how increasingly automated vehicles could change car rental.
Read More →
How Rental Operators Can Navigate Personalized Pricing Rules
As regulators scrutinize the use of customer data in pricing, rental operators need to know whether they can explain why one renter pays more than another.
Read More →
Direct, Broker or Hybrid? How Travel Retailers Source Rental Cars
As travel retailers weigh direct supplier relationships against third-party distribution, rental operators need to understand how those decisions affect their business.
Read More →
How Did This Independent Rental Operator Grow to 170 Vehicles in 4 Years?
With 170 vehicles across three Kentucky locations, Joel Price relies on an overseas team to handle reservations, payments, and after-hours customer service. It's one part of an unconventional approach to growing an independent rental operation.
Read More →
What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?
The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.
Read More →
NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings
With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.
Read More →
Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study
While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.
Read More →
The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals
Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.
Read More →
The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
Read More →