An afternoon traffic stop on Interstate 40 in western Arkansas turned into a major pot bust when state troopers say they found roughly 150 pounds of packaged marijuana in a van driven by a 28-year-old woman from Stockbridge. The stop happened Wednesday near the 2-mile marker in Crawford County, and the driver was taken to the Crawford County Detention Center on felony counts that include possession with the purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Troopers say they discovered a 'high-grade' stash
According to KATV, an Arkansas State Police trooper pulled the van over at about 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday and reported finding about 150 pounds of what was described as "high-grade" marijuana wrapped in multiple bundles. The Crawford County jail roster lists the driver as Marlinda Compere Exceus, 28, of Stockbridge, and shows she was booked into the county detention center on felony drug charges. WSB-TV reports Exceus told investigators she was traveling from California to White Hall when she was stopped.
Seizure fits a pattern on the I-40 corridor
The arrest fits into a growing pattern of large drug seizures along I-40. Arkansas Department of Public Safety releases show troopers have confiscated hundreds of pounds of marijuana and other narcotics this year in a series of traffic stops tied to a targeted Interstate Criminal Patrol effort. Similar cases with Georgia connections have surfaced elsewhere in the region, including an Augusta airport bust in May that turned up about 185 pounds of marijuana in suitcases.
Booking, charges and what comes next
Public booking records list Exceus's offenses as possession with the purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia. Those are allegations, and she is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The Crawford County Detention Center roster shows her in custody while prosecutors review the case and determine whether to pursue formal charges. If the case moves forward, prosecutors typically look at enhanced penalties for trafficking-scale quantities under state and federal law.
