Texas Traffic Stop Leads to 27-Pound Marijuana Bust

A man was arrested earlier this week in East Texas after a traffic stop led deputies to discover more than 27 pounds of marijuana in his vehicle.

Why Deputies Initiated the Traffic Stop

According to KETK, The traffic stop took place on Monday when a Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputy was working patrol on I-20 and noticed a vehicle driving in the left lane without passing another vehicle. The traffic stop was initiated, and the driver was identified as Reinaldo Hernandez.

READ MORE: Texas Cities' Stance On Marijuana Decriminalization

K-9 Unit Helped Detect Marijuana Odor

Deputies could smell the odor of marijuana while speaking with Hernandez. Deputies then asked Hernandez for consent to search, but he denied the request. Another detective and a K-9 unit were then called to the scene and the dog gave a positive alert.

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Deputies Found Vacuum-Sealed Marijuana Packages

That is when deputies began a probable cause search of the vehicle and located a suitcase in the bed of the vehicle. When law enforcement opened the suitcase, they found 25 vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana. In total the bags weighed 27.5 pounds.

Hernandez was arrested for possessing between 5 and 50 pounds of marijuana. He was booked into the Smith County Jail and has since been released after he posted bond.

While there are many people that believe that marijuana should be legalized, that decision is not made by law enforcement, they just have to enforce the laws. Marijuana is illegal in Texas, so possessing large amounts can lead to serious consequences in the Lone Star State.

As always, all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.