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Ohio - Columbus officers make one of the largest pot busts of the last two decades when they seize about 2,000 pounds of marijuana Wednesday.
Columbus officers were conducting surveillance outside a warehouse at 2365 S. 7th St. Wednesday morning.
Officers noticed a large freight shipment come in of what they tentatively identified as -- and later confirmed -- to be marijuana, according to Columbus police.
Officers watched a van leave the South Side warehouse and then stopped the vehicle at South High Street and Kingston Avenue.
Officers found 1,000 pounds of pot inside the van, CPD told NBC4.
Hector Ernesto Martinez, 37, and Luis Alberto Miranda were arrested.
There was another 1,000 pounds of marijuana inside the warehouse, according to CPD.
"We believe these drugs were targeted for or to be distributed in the central Ohio area," said Gary Cameron, Acting Commander of the CPD Narcotics Bureau.
Further investigation led officers to a home on the 4800 block of Carbondale Drive. That's on the city's Southeast Side, off Noe Bixby Road.
Officers said they watched Arnaldo Ruben Miranda and a woman taking suitcases and duffle bags out of the home.
Inside the suitcases and bags, clothes were on top of and hiding cash, $946,000 in cash, according to CPD Sgt. Rich Weiner.
The woman was released. However, Arnaldo, 26, was arrested. He and 25-year-old Luis are brothers and have been living in Columbus for about a year, CPD said.
Martinez' citizenship was not known.
Martinez, Luis and Arnaldo each are facing one state count of possession. They could face more state charges or federal charges, according to CPD.
The state possession charges are second-degree felonies because of the bulk weight of the drugs.
Columbus police said the seized marijuana has a street value of $3 million.
The seizure was part of a six-month investigation by the South Central Ohio HIDTA Federal Drug Task Force.
CPD also said the seizure was not connected to the large pot bust in Pickerington in July 2010. More than 1,000 pounds of pot, with a street value of $1.8 million, was seized after police broke up an operation allegedly linked to a Mexican drug cartel.
News Hawk: MedicalNeed 420 MAGAZINE
Source: 2.nbc4i.com
Author: Donna Willis & Tom Brockman
Contact: Contact Us | NBC 4i
Copyright: 2011 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC.
Website:2,000 Pounds Of Pot, $946K Seized
Columbus officers were conducting surveillance outside a warehouse at 2365 S. 7th St. Wednesday morning.
Officers noticed a large freight shipment come in of what they tentatively identified as -- and later confirmed -- to be marijuana, according to Columbus police.
Officers watched a van leave the South Side warehouse and then stopped the vehicle at South High Street and Kingston Avenue.
Officers found 1,000 pounds of pot inside the van, CPD told NBC4.
Hector Ernesto Martinez, 37, and Luis Alberto Miranda were arrested.
There was another 1,000 pounds of marijuana inside the warehouse, according to CPD.
"We believe these drugs were targeted for or to be distributed in the central Ohio area," said Gary Cameron, Acting Commander of the CPD Narcotics Bureau.
Further investigation led officers to a home on the 4800 block of Carbondale Drive. That's on the city's Southeast Side, off Noe Bixby Road.
Officers said they watched Arnaldo Ruben Miranda and a woman taking suitcases and duffle bags out of the home.
Inside the suitcases and bags, clothes were on top of and hiding cash, $946,000 in cash, according to CPD Sgt. Rich Weiner.
The woman was released. However, Arnaldo, 26, was arrested. He and 25-year-old Luis are brothers and have been living in Columbus for about a year, CPD said.
Martinez' citizenship was not known.
Martinez, Luis and Arnaldo each are facing one state count of possession. They could face more state charges or federal charges, according to CPD.
The state possession charges are second-degree felonies because of the bulk weight of the drugs.
Columbus police said the seized marijuana has a street value of $3 million.
The seizure was part of a six-month investigation by the South Central Ohio HIDTA Federal Drug Task Force.
CPD also said the seizure was not connected to the large pot bust in Pickerington in July 2010. More than 1,000 pounds of pot, with a street value of $1.8 million, was seized after police broke up an operation allegedly linked to a Mexican drug cartel.
News Hawk: MedicalNeed 420 MAGAZINE
Source: 2.nbc4i.com
Author: Donna Willis & Tom Brockman
Contact: Contact Us | NBC 4i
Copyright: 2011 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC.
Website:2,000 Pounds Of Pot, $946K Seized
