BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Two women have been arrested in a Rogers narcotic trafficking bust.

Court documents say that detectives for the Rogers Police Department began a drug trafficking investigation starting May 2023 involving a group of smugglers operating in Mexico and Texas.

During the investigation, a confidential informant working with detectives established communication with individuals in Mexico.

The informant advised that cocaine was available for purchase from the organization and that the group would deliver drugs throughout the country.

In September, the informant told detectives that the drug trafficking organization had five kilograms of cocaine that were available for purchase and a transaction would take place in Rogers.

A meeting location for the transaction was established with an unknown woman set to conduct the deal.

On Oct. 3, a detective, operating undercover, set out to meet the woman. During previous communications, the detective and the woman had established a communication strategy that consisted of meeting, flashing their car lights at each other and driving to a second location to complete the transaction.

The two met and parked to complete the deal at the parking lot of 4201 West Green Acres Road where surveillance was established by detectives with the Benton County Drug Unit.

The suspect’s vehicle was then surrounded, and the two occupants were ordered to exit the vehicle.

The women were later identified as Concepcion Medina, 58, and Tamaria Walker, 64. Both are from Houston, Texas, which is where detectives determined the cocaine was coming from.

Both women are charged with one count each of trafficking a controlled substance.

After the women were removed from the vehicle and placed into custody, officers deployed a K9 to conduct a free air sniff.

The K9 alerted to the odor of narcotics on the vehicle. A probable cause search yielded five kilograms of cocaine, with two kilograms found under the driver’s seat, two under the front passenger seat and one in the glove box.

Court documents say that while in handcuffs, Medina began saying things such as “I lied,” “There is nothing in there,” “I lied about bring it” and “This is embarrassing.”

Walker was interviewed and stated that she had mapped the route of travel from Houston to the meet location. She stated that she believed that she was going to visit Medina’s aunt.

Walker told police that she had been in trouble before for fraud and drug possession.

After Walker was transported to the jail, detectives received a phone call that she had cocaine on her person at the jail in a tin can that was in her bra. The cocaine was processed and weighed around 0.3 grams.

Court documents say that Medina was interviewed by police and a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations but changed her story multiple times and made numerous inconsistent statements.

Detectives reviewed Medina’s criminal history, including an arrest for drug smuggling in Brownsville, Texas, and a separate arrest in Texas for possession with intent to distribute around 31.8 kilograms of marijuana. Court documents say that she also has a federal arrest by the Drug Enforcement Administration out of Houston.

Walker has a court hearing scheduled for Nov. 13. She’s being held on a $250,000 bond.

Medina also has a hearing scheduled for Nov. 13. She’s being held on a $100,000 bond.