The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) seized over $449,000 in marijuana Wednesday.
At approximately 9:50 a.m., a DPS trooper stopped a 2014 Nissan Altima for a traffic violation on US-287 near Iowa Park, in Wichita County. During the traffic stop, a DPS canine unit was called and alerted on the vehicle. The trooper conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered several tape-wrapped packages of marijuana located throughout the vehicle. The marijuana weighed 74 pounds.
The driver was identified as Valeria Lopez, 20, of Eustis, Fla. The passengers were identified as Norma Lopez-Martinez, 22, and Kassandra Rocha, 23, both of Umatilla, Fla. The driver and passengers were arrested, booked into the Wichita County jail and charged with felony possession of marijuana.
The illegal drugs were allegedly being transported from Phoenix to Umatilla, Fla.
(Press release from Texas Department of Public Safety)