A routine traffic stop in Nashville turned into one of the city’s bigger drug busts in recent memory after Metro Police detectives discovered more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine inside a vehicle on Sunday.
Officers pulled over a black Chrysler Pacifica after the driver was observed speeding, following another vehicle too closely, and failing to use a turn signal correctly. Behind the wheel was Montay Batey, 27, with passenger Monterry Batey, 33, riding along.
From the moment detectives made contact, something felt off. The two men gave conflicting answers when asked where they were coming from, a detail officers flagged in their report as a common sign of someone moving illegal contraband. Montay was also visibly shaken during the stop, with trembling hands and noticeable difficulty speaking.
The passenger told detectives they were heading to his home on 9th Avenue North, but officers noted that location was nowhere near where the stop took place, raising further red flags.
With suspicion mounting, detectives brought in a K-9 unit to conduct an open-air sniff around the vehicle. The dog alerted, giving officers probable cause to search the car. What they found inside was staggering: approximately 225.4 pounds of methamphetamine, which field tested positive on the scene.
Both men were taken into custody and booked Sunday at the Downtown Detention Center on felony drug charges. Bond for each was set at $250,000, according to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office.