An arrest and seizure of more than $1 million in street drugs in New Mexico resulted in no charges and the suspect being released, authorities said.
According to a story by news station KRQE, Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace said authorities were investigating a string of armed robberies in the area; the traffic stop and resulting seizure resulted because deputies were on “high alert.”
“We were actually looking for the individuals that were involved in the armed robberies,” Mace said.
An officer who works on a federal drug task force made a traffic stop on a suspicious vehicle on Feb. 10. Mace said that while the driver wasn’t connected to the robberies, it was obvious that something was amiss. Upon examination, the deputy discovered seven duffle bags filled with marijuana, registering a street value of more than $1 million.
“When we’re talking a couple of hundred pounds of marijuana, it smells,” Mace said. “It really gives off a strong odor.”
Despite the deputy seizing that much marijuana, it’s unlikely that the suspect will face charges, due to a technicality.
“The federal threshold for prosecuting marijuana crimes goes by weight, and there must be 1,000 lbs or more of the drug,” Mace said. "Since the seizure didn’t meet that weight requirement, the federal government declined to prosecute, simply interviewing the suspect and releasing him.”
Mace didn’t identify the suspect but said the $1 million in marijuana will be destroyed.
“It sounds like a lot but that’s just a drop in the bucket, as far as the amount of narcotics that are moving across our state,” Mace said in the KRQE article.
The bust comes as several states have legalized recreational marijuana; New Mexico is set to decriminalize it in April. Still, Mace said, anything over two ounces will be a misdemeanor and possessing over eight ounces is considered a felony.
“Anytime we get a bust like that, we’re ecstatic we’re able to keep those narcotics from getting into other communities,” Mace said.