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It’s being touted as “the biggest drug bust in Duson law enforcement history” by Police Chief Kip Judice.
But Sunday’s seizure of more than 13 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value of $1.3 million, was also one of the strangest.
“This investigation is like no other. Usually, we make an arrest when someone sells drugs to an undercover agent, then we seize the drugs,” Judice said during a press conference Monday afternoon at the Duson Community Center. “This time, we’ve seized the drugs, but we’re still looking for the suspect. We’re working backwards”
Judice explained that police were tipped off to the presence of the illegal narcotics by an anonymous caller to 911 at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
According to the police chief, the caller reported that he had been solicited to drive a blue Dodge Caravan van from the Super 8 Motel near Interstate 10 in Duson to a site in Lafayette.
“The caller said he had been offered money and that the van ‘had a lot of cocaine in it’,” Judice said.
Officers were able to obtain a search warrant based on an alert by a Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office K-9 officer.
“At 4:10 Sunday afternoon we executed a search warrant on the van,” Judice said. “The search resulted in the recovery of 12 packs of cocaine, each wrapped in duct tape, which were concealed in the back hatch and side panels of the vehicle.”
Due to weather and lighting conditions, the van was secured at law enforcement property and a second warrant has been granted to allow for an additional search with more extensive tools and resources, Judice said.
The Duson chief, flanked by Acadia Parish Sheriff K.P. Gibson and Lafayette Parish Sheriff Mark Garber, said that the Sunday morning call was actually the second anonymous call regarding the van with Tennessee plates.
Judice said the first call was made Thursday night, June 1, and the caller expressed “suspicious activities” regarding the vehicle.
“We’ve been poring through hours and hours of surveillance video from that time period forward,” said Judice. “We’re hoping that one of these callers will come forward, especially the Sunday morning caller, who could give us specific information as to the identification of the suspect.”
Judice said some attempts have been made to trace the phone and to call it back, but to no success.
“The man who called (Sunday) does have a conscience and his — along with the other person who called in — information could prove vital to this investigation.”
Both Gibson and Garber acknowledged the efforts of all the agencies involved in the investigation.
“Together we are greater that the sum of our parts,” Garber said.
Gibson noted that, while the person responsible has not yet been captured, the seizure of the drugs represents a great victory for all of Acadiana.
“I’ve always thought that about 70 percent of all crime is drug-related in one form or another. These drugs weren’t meant just for Lafayette,” he said. “The cocaine on this table would have been distributed all over Acadiana, not just in the parishes that are represented here.”
Agencies involved in the investigation included the Duson Police Department, Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Metro Narcotics Task Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
Officials said Monday that several leads are being followed, but encouraged anyone with specific information about the van to call Lafayette Crime Stoppers at 232-8477 or Acadia Parish Crime Stoppers at 7889-8477.
Callers will remain anonymous and could earn up to a $1,000 cash reward.
“Any little bit of information could help us,” Judice said.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 8, at 2 p.m. in the Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home Chapel for Kirk Hayden Keigley, 60, who died Monday, June 5, 2017, in Lafayette.
Fr. Marshall Boulet will be officiating for the services. The family request visiting hours be held Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of service. A rosary will be recited at 1 p.m. A private burial of cremains will be held in Woodlawn Cemetery at a later date.
Mr. Keigley is survived by the mother of his children, Rebecca Fruge Keigley of Scott; one daughter, Shawne Keigley Corley and her husband Donald of Crowley; three sons, Hayden Keigley of Lafayette, Dr. Quinton Keigley and his wife Tanya of Arizona and Jason Keigley and his wife Mandi of Broussard; three sisters, Pat Habetz and her husband Robert of Crowley, Katherine Keigley and her partner Kathy Hernandez of Lafayette and Elizabeth Miller and her husband Tony of Youngsville; two brothers, Wingy Keigley and his wife Lana of Toledo Bend and Kenneth Keigley of Crowley; two granddaughters, Madeline and Caroline Corley; three grandsons, Blake and Grant Corley, and Grayson Keigley is on the way.
He is preceded in death by his parents, William Edward Keigley Sr. and Vivian Boulet Keigley.
Condolences may be sent to the family by www.geeseyferguson.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home Inc. of Crowley.

Jerry was born in Riceville on Dec. 21, 1922, to John Clark Fontenot and Eva Fetterly Fontenot. He was called from this life on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. Jerry met wife, Helen Dartez, and the two of them married on June 8, 1946. He worked as a welder. Jerry loved gardening and hunting, but he also enjoyed doing mechanic work. Jerry was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Jerry is survived by his daughter, Brenda Fontenot Johnson of Crowley; grandchildren, Tabatha (Keith) Barkly of Stamping Ground, Kentucky, and Courtney Jagneaux of Gueydan; and great-grandchildren, Tanner Barkley, Madisyn Leday and Riana Harris.
Jerry is preceded in death by his parents, John and Eva Fontenot; beloved wife, Helen Dartez Fontenot; son, Leroy Fontenot; three brothers; and one sister.
A funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church for Jerry Roy “Boogie” Fontenot, 94, of Gueydan on Monday, June 5, at 2 p.m. with Reverend Troy Duhon officiating. Visitation will begin at First Baptist Church on June 5 at 10 a.m. until his time of service. Burial will follow in Gueydan Cemetery.
The family of Mr. Jerry would like to send a special Thank You to all the Staff and Caregivers at the Gueydan Memorial Guest Home, Hospice Compassus, Dr. Aertker and to his nurse Mrs. Lauren.
To extend online condolences, please visit our website at www.matthewsandsonfuneralhome.net.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Matthews & Son Funeral Home.