By Staff
PACKED FOR TRANSPORT n State Trooper Harrison L. Cook shows 811/2 pounds of marijuana found in the trunk of a New Jersey man's car. Cook's drug dog, Roi, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, detected the drugs Wednesday during a traffic stop on Interstate 20. Photo by Paula Merritt / The Meridian Star
By Chris Allen Baker / staff writer
May 9, 2002
A New Jersey man remained in Lauderdale County jail today after Mississippi Highway Patrol officers found 811/2 pounds of marijuana in his 2002 Toyota Camry.
David Thompson, 57, 1061 North 31st St., Camden, N.J., was charged with speeding and possessing more than a kilo of marijuana with intent to distribute. He was being held on a $125,000 bond.
Staff Sgt. Ronnie Carter, a Highway Patrol spokesman, said Thompson was stopped at 9:16 a.m. Wednesday at mile marker 152 inside Meridian city limits. Thompson was heading east at 64 mph; the speed limit is 60.
State Trooper Harrison L. Cook's drug dog, Roi, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, detected the drugs in Thompson's trunk. Cook then made the arrest; he was assisted by Troopers Johnny Knox and Danny Knight.
Cook said the case was Roi's third drug bust since the two were partnered in February. One of previous busts involved 200 pounds of marijuana, the other involved 221/2 pounds of cocaine.
Marijuana and cocaine are two of the more common illegal drugs.
Since Cook and Roi have been teamed, Carter said, the MHP Meridian district has seen an increase in drug busts. Roi's first two busts with the patrol were the two most recent seizures, Carter said.
Carter could not estimate the street value of the marijuana seized Wednesday.