The shipment was headed to Georgia before it was intercepted.
Law enforcement officials in North Texas got a lot more than they bargained for during a routine traffic stop on November 18, CBS News reports.
A conversation with the driver raised the suspicion of a Sheriff’s Criminal Interdiction Unit deputy who searched the car after getting consent from the driver. The massive haul was reportedly from California and was on its way to Georgia before it was intercepted by authorities. One person was arrested.
Another Bust Heading To North Carolina
The North Texas bust is one of many big-time drug seizures coming out of California. Two days ago, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas intercepted a delivery during a stop that netted 65 grams of meth, around 50 pounds of marijuana, opioids, drug paraphernalia and loaded weapons. The big haul was on its way to North Carolina. The driver was taken into custody.
Marijuana trafficking out of California has become quite common since the state legalized the drug for recreational use in 2016. In the 2019 fiscal year, authorities in California have seized more than $1.5 billion worth of illegally grown marijuana.
“Illegal cannabis grows are devastating our communities. Criminals who disregard life, poison our waters, damage our public lands, and weaponize the illegal cannabis black market will be brought to justice,” said Attorney General Xavier Becerra in a recent press release.
Campaign Against Marijuana Planting Program
The Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) Program, the nation’s largest illegal marijuana eradication program, has arrested 148 individuals, eradicated 953,459 marijuana plants from 345 raided grow sites across the state and seized a total of 168 weapons.
“This year, our CAMP teams worked tirelessly across the state to vigorously enforce California’s laws against illegal cannabis activity. The California Department of Justice is extremely proud of our partnership with federal, state, and local agencies and we look forward to continuing this necessary work.”
The unlicensed black market remains massive in the golden state where, according to NBC News, “illegal sellers outnumber legal and regulated businesses almost 3-to-1.”
“Our participation works to prevent this illegal market in order to promote a fair market place for those growers, producers, and vendors who choose to operate within the system that the voters approved,” said Robert Paoletti, Coordinator Colonel, California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force.