On Friday, January 19, deputies with the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Team made a traffic stop on a commercial vehicle transport on Interstate 20. During the stop, deputies became suspicious of one of the vehicles on the transport.

During a consensual search of the vehicle, the deputies along with the help of the sheriff’s department canines discovered approximately 130 pounds of high-grade marijuana in duffel bags in the trunk of the vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Department said that preliminary investigation suggests that the marijuana originated in California and was destined to a southern state. Law enforcement in that state has been contacted. This investigation is ongoing.

The driver of the commercial vehicle was not charged and did not know about the illegal marijuana being in one of the vehicles he was transporting.

The street value of the marijuana is approximately $390,000.00