Troopers Seize Over 200 Pounds of Marijuana During Traffic Stop
Bundles wrapped up as burlap backpacks found in vehicle
Thursday, December 22, 2016
- For Immediate Release -
Tombstone, AZ. – State troopers with the Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) seized over 200 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop on State Route 80, milepost 324, south of Tombstone.
On Sunday, December 11, 2016, a trooper stopped a sports utility vehicle on State Route 80, milepost 324, for a traffic violation. As the trooper was speaking with the people in the vehicle he noticed several burlap backpacks containing marijuana in the rear storage area. The two subjects in the vehicle were placed under arrest. A total of eight burlap backpacks containing 201.91 pounds of marijuana were seized. The marijuana has a street value of approximately $172,000.
Melissa Sanchez, 40, and Christopher Sanchez, 43, both from Tucson, were booked into the Cochise County Jail on the charges of possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, and transportation of marijuana.
Captain Dean Chase, AZDPS District Nine Commander, said, “Our troopers understand the damage that illegal drugs cause our community and they aggressively enforce drug laws. They continue to work tirelessly to intercept as many drug loads as possible before they hit the streets and ruin the lives of our citizens.”
The Arizona Border Strike Force – Cochise County Highway Interdiction Team (HIT) assisted Troopers with this investigation.
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