A federal grand jury indicted two Columbian nationals in the U.S. illegally for drug crimes after authorities say they were caught with 21 kilograms of cocaine on I-65 in Shelby County.

The two-count indictment charges Cristian Yesid Lugo-Beltran, 24, and Johan Leandro Zapata-Valencia, 23, with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.

That’s according to a Monday announcement by Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank.

Calera police officers stopped the vehicle about 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, because the tag light was out. The vehicle as traveling on Interstate 65, and the stop was made at a gas station just off the interstate.

Calera police Chief David Hyche said at the time of the traffic stop investigators believe the suspects were traveling from California to south Florida.

“If they chose I-65 to avoid heavy drug interdiction areas, it didn’t work out well for them,’’ Hyche said, applauding the work of his department in the stop.

One of the suspects, he said, was wanted in Atlanta on drug trafficking and failure to appear charges.

“Many departments around the U.S. have ceased making traffic stops for minor traffic violations,’’ Hyche said.

“I have repeatedly spoken out against this and other instances where law enforcement leaders apologize for enforcing the law or change policy to appease critics.”

“We in law enforcement don’t make laws,’’ he said, “we enforce them.”

HSI investigated the case, along with Calera Police Department and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany T. Byrd and Olivia C. Brame are prosecuting.