A man was arrested after 100 pounds of marijuana were found in his vehicle.
Trooper Richard Thomas of the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Interdiction Plus (IP) East Bureau conducted a traffic stop on a motorhome on I-24 Eastbound in Marion County on Wednesday.
The driver stated he was traveling from Colorado going back home to Miami. Upon interviewing the driver Trooper Thomas observed several indicators that indicating possible criminal activity.
THP Chattanooga District Troopers Terry Parker and Ben Harrison, along with IP Trooper George Stephens were requested to assist. As the other troopers arrived, Trooper Thomas received consent to search the motorhome. Trooper Thomas deployed his K9 and began to look inside the vehicle. In the bedroom area of the motorhome were several empty duffel bags and moving boxes. Trooper Thomas questioned if the driver a Mr. Lester Beltran, 40, of Miami, if he was moving. Mr. Beltran then stated it was only household goods.
Trooper Thomas then asked Mr. Beltran if he would open a box to confirm the contents. At that time Beltran stated, “It's marijuana”. Troopers located six cardboard boxes containing 83 vacuum sealed bags of high-grade marijuana with a total weight of 100 pounds. The vehicle was seized and the suspect was arrested without incident. The investigation revealed that Beltran was traveling from Colorado, where he stated he obtained the marijuana to take back to Miami. The motorhome was registered to Beltran’s wife’s company out of Montana.
“States like Tennessee, where marijuana is not legal are beginning to see more of the drug which may have been grown legally in another state and then trafficked in to states like ours,” said Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott.
The driver was arrested without incident and transported to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.