LOXLEY, Ala. — At around 1 in the morning of Nov. 18, a Loxley police officer was patrolling Interstate 10 westbound.

According to a release from the Loxley Police Department, the officer noted a traffic violation by a mini van near the 45-mile marker.

According to the release, the officer became suspicious that something was not right during the stop and searched the vehicle.

According to the release, the officer 75 cartons of cigarettes which were not stamped with Alabama tax stamps . . . Also found during the search was approximately 25 Visa gift cards, which are used to rewrite persons banking information onto.

The release noted that it is a violation of Alabama law to have more than 30 packages of tobacco without a permit.

The van’s occupants, two men and one woman were arrested and taken to the Baldwin County Correctional Facility. They are, Cezar Orlando Miranda-Vega, 25, who listed his address as Miami; Joneisy Diaz-Ramirez, 23, also from Miami and Orlando Rodriguez-Sanchez, 23 of Miami.

According to published reports, the van the trio was driving was supposed to remain in Florida.

The release from the Loxley Police Department also said, “These three subjects were arrested and charged with transportation illegal tobacco and illegal possession of a credit/debit card. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agency is assisting us with the case and many of the details are still under investigation. Also these subject's immigration status is under investigation due to them being Cuban citizens.”