Rochester Traffic Stop Leads to Meth Sales Bust

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A recent traffic stop in southeast Rochester led to a suspected meth sales bust. 

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That’s according to a criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County Court Monday. The traffic stop happened along 16th Ave. Southeast this past Saturday. 

The suspect vehicle, driven by 44-year-old Bol Slim Chhoun of Rochester, was stopped due to expired registration. The Rochester Police officer reported Chhoun’s behavior raised suspension that he was driving under the influence, the court document says. 

Upon exiting the vehicle the officer spotted a bulge in Chhoun’s pocket. Chhoun removed the item which was a box that contained three separate bags that were holding between 1.7 and 2.3 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a digital scale and various drug paraphernalia, according to the criminal complaint. 

A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a baggie containing 29.6 grams of suspected meth in the vehicle’s glove compartment. Officers arrested Chhoun and brought him to the Olmsted County Jail where they found him with a piece of paper that listed names and monetary amounts, an item law enforcement suspects to be a drug ledger, the charges say. 

Chhoun denied the list was a drug ledger and instead said it was a list of people he had lended money to. The complaint says the large quantity of meth, digital scale and list seized as a result of the traffic stop are indicators of drug sale activity.  

Investigators also collected a bodily fluid sample from Chhoun and have sent it to the Minnesota BCA for further testing. 

Chhoun was charged Monday with felony first-degree drug sales, felony second-degree drug possession and misdemeanor DWI. His conditional bail was set at $1,000 and he’s due back in court in late November.