TOLEDO, Ohio – A 40-year old Indiana driver was arrested on felony drug charges Tuesday when troopers and a drug-detecting dog found 165 pounds of marijuana in his van during a traffic stop for a lane violation on the Ohio Turnpike, authorities reported.
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers stopped a 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Martin Torres Guzman of Mishawaka, Indiana for a marked lane violation as he traveled east on the turnpike near milepost 58 in Lucas County shortly before 10 a.m.
Troopers said the drug-detecting canine “alerted” to the vehicle, giving probable cause to search the van. The marijuana seized has an estimated street value of almost $375,000.
Guzman was taken into custody and lodged in the Lucas County Jail. He is charged with trafficking marijuana and drug abuse, both second-degree felonies. According to a news release, if Guzman is convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 16 years in prison and fined a maximum of $30,000.
Troopers seized the van, pending state forfeiture.