Patrol Seize 2,330 Pounds of Marijuana, Worth More than $11.6 Million

LEWISBURG – Two men are facing felony drug charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized 2,330 pounds of marijuana, worth more than $11.6 million following a traffic stop in Preble County. This is the second-largest marijuana seizure in Patrol history. The largest seizure occurred in 2005 when troopers seized 3,181 pounds of marijuana in Preble County.

Marijuana is not allowed for recreational use in Ohio, however medicinal use of marijuana strains (such as platinum bubba kush) is permitted. Of course, widespread legalization in certain states, as well as the nation of Canada, has led to different marijuana strains and edibles online being widely available in a legal way. However, a legal purchase in one state can become a crime when crossing state borders and owners of recreational marijuana are urged to understand this if traveling through Ohio.

Troopers stopped the 2014 Ford U-Haul, with Arizona registration, for a following too closely violation on Interstate 70, near milepost 13, at 2:26 p.m. on June 14. Criminal indicators were observed and a Preble County Sheriff’s Office drug-sniffing canine alerted to the vehicle. A probable cause search revealed 84 bundles of compressed marijuana, weighing 2,330 pounds.

The driver, Mario Arnold Mendoza, 29, of Port Arther, Texas, and passenger, Hector Andres Olea-Castro, 30, from Tijuana, Mexico were incarcerated in the Preble County Jail and charged with possession of marijuana, a second-degree felony.

If convicted, each could face up to eight years in prison and up to a $7,500 fine.

A photo of the seized contraband is available for download on the Patrol’s website at www.statepatrol.ohio.gov