North Texas officer sniffs out 285-pound marijuana stash during traffic stop, police say
A routine traffic stop turned into an arrest when a Lewisville officer caught a whiff of marijuana, leading to the discovery of a significant haul in a hidden compartment, authorities said Tuesday.
Deyu Huang, 31, is being held in Denton County Jail on $35,000 bond in the wake of the pot discovery, according to the Lewisville Police Department. He was charged with possession of marijuana of more than 50 pounds and less than 2,000 pounds.
Expired registration prompts vehicle tow
Officer J. Slaughter pulled over a vehicle driven by Huang for expired registration and no insurance. After informing Huang that his vehicle was set to be towed, the officer detected the "odor of unburnt marijuana" while taking inventory, which gave probable cause to search, the department said.
Sealed compartment held 285 pounds
A search by Slaughter and another officer, J. Acosta, revealed 285 pounds of marijuana hidden in a sealed compartment, police said.
Police praise officer's vigilance
According to a Lewisville police Facebook post, the seizure ensured that it "will never make it to the streets of our community."
"Please join us in recognizing Officer Slaughter's vigilance and dedication to keeping Lewisville safe!" the post said.