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Bates County deputies find more than 2,100 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop
Seven people were arrested Saturday in Bates County in connection with the seizure of marijuana estimated to have a street value of more than $3 million.
According to a report from the Bates County Sheriff's Office, on Saturday, Dec, 8, at approximately 12:15 a.m., a K-9 unit with the Bates County Sheriff's Office spotted a truck, south bound on FF Highway from State Route 18, failing to maintain the right side of the roadway.
After stopping the vehicle, the driver appeared to be nervous and gave several conflicting answers to the question of his destination, according to reports from Bates County Sheriff Doug Mullenix. After gaining consent to search the vehicle the K-9 indicated on several places along the floor of the empty trailer that there was illegal material.
During the traffic stop, two other vehicles were stopped in the area for traffic violations.
Information received from the driver of the truck indicated that those vehicles were associated with the truck. As a result, five people were detained on site.
The Bates County Sheriff's Office moved the vehicles to a secure location where part of the floor was removed from the trailer revealing several packages of marijuana weighing 1 to 4 kilograms each.
During the investigation, Bates County officers gained information leading them to a residence near Adrian, where two additional subjects were arrested and charged with a felony for trafficking. Bond for the arrested parties was originally set at $500,000 cash only. However, after an attempt by someone to bond out one of the individuals, believed to be the "ring leader," more warrants were issued, and bonds were raised to $1 million cash only, for each of the parties.
Seven people, whose names have not yet been released, remain in the Bates County jail with additional charges pending.