Police say man ate bag of meth, Xanax during traffic stop

Police say a man tampered with evidence by eating a bag of methamphetamine and Xanax.

Travis J. Moore, 43, of Cape Girardeau was arrested Sunday by Cape Girardeau police and charged with possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence, both felonies.

Moore was pulled over while driving a black Mercedes by Cape Girardeau police about 2 a.m. Sunday on Interstate 55, according to a probable-cause report.

The officer told Moore he had an active arrest warrant for burglary. After Moore stepped out of the vehicle, he was placed under arrest, the report stated.

Moore was searched before being placed in the patrol vehicle, and the officer found 10 Sudafed pills, according to the report.

The officer then saw an empty plastic bag next to Moore on the rear seat of the patrol car, the report stated. Moore told officers he had been chewing on the bag and had just spat it out.

Moore had white residue around the edges and inside of his mouth, and the bag later field-tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the report.

Moore told officers the bag contained Xanax, which is a medication for anxiety and panic disorder, and methamphetamine, the report stated.

“Moore stated it was inside his mouth during my entire traffic stop, and that was why he was speaking funny,” officer Johnny Spencer wrote. “Moore also explained he was on probation for manufacturing methamphetamine and knew every ingredient to make meth. Moore then advised that Sudafed is an ingredient for making meth.”

Moore was not taken to a hospital at his insistence, public information officer Richard McCall said.

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