ARKANSAS, USA — Arkansas State Police (ASP) confiscated over 200 pounds of illegal marijuana and $10,000 in two separate traffic stops off Interstate 40 over the past two weeks.
Police said they stopped a white Chrysler Pacifica near the 99-mile marker in Pope County on May 7. ASP stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation when troopers discovered five trash bags containing 120 individually wrapped bundles of illegal marijuana, each weighing approximately one pound.
Additionally, troopers found $9,350 in cash inside the vehicle belonging to 50-year-old Kristi Dortch of Eureka Springs, Calif.
Dortch was arrested and transported to the Pope County Detention Center, where she was charged with felony possession with the purpose to deliver of a controlled substance, felony possession of a drug paraphernalia and multiple traffic violations.
According to ASP, Dortch told investigators she was traveling from Eureka Springs, Calif, to Chattanooga, Tenn.
Six days later, on May 13, troopers stopped a rented black Chevrolet Malibu for traffic violations at the 172-mile marker in Lonoke County. ASP said they conducted a search and found 115 pounds of illegal marijuana in the car's trunk, along with $1,005.
Troopers arrested 41-year-old Shayla Cooper of Oklahoma City. They took her to the Lonoke County Detention Center, where she was booked and charged with felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Cooper was allegedly traveling from Oklahoma City to Atlanta.