If you’re looking for weed in Florida, you might be out of luck. Last weekend, the Arkansas police stopped and searched a truck coming from the Golden Coast. They originally stopped the truck because it did not stop at a designated weight area. What they found was much more interesting.
An Ordinary Road Check Finds An Inordinate Amount of Pot
On Sunday morning, a truck traveling from California did not stop at a weigh station off Interstate 40 in Alma, Arkansas. The Arkansas Highway Police decided to pull the vehicle over but the driver, carrying precious cargo, sped on.
A police chase ensued. When the vehicle finally pulled over, law enforcement noted that the driver seemed anxious. Not only was the driver’s behavior unusual, but his log book didn’t match his cargo according to 5 News.
Next, the driver gave the authorities written consent to search his truck. Immediately, the police noticed that truck seemed to be carrying two different shipments. One was seemingly legal produce, while the other was stored in trash bags.
Inside the trash bags were 201 packages of marijuana. In total, the truck was carrying 232 pounds of cannabis.
The Driver and Passenger Are Facing Charges
Being caught carrying marijuana across state lines, especially when that state hasn’t legalized recreational use, carries some hefty charges. Specifically, Arkansas is charging the driver and passenger with Possession with the Intent to Deliver.
Since marijuana is still a Schedule I substance, these charges are a felony. According to Arkansas law, possession and attempt to deliver over 100 pounds of marijuana incurs a minimum six-year prison sentence. The maximum penalty is 30 years, with a fine of $15,000.
Most Southern States Have Strict Marijuana Laws
Comparatively, Arkansas is one of the most progressive