BENTON COUNTY (KFSM) -- A man is facing charges after the Benton County Sheriff's Office seized 55 pounds of marijuana from a truck, according to Sgt. Shannon Jenkins.
A Sallisaw police officer conducted a traffic stop Feb. 20 at about 4:30 p.m. The officer said he could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the truck that was on a truck hauler.
During a search, police found marijuana in the tool box in the back of the truck.
“He called into the DEA office of Oklahoma and once determined through the investigation with the DEA in Sallisaw it was determined that the destination was in Benton County which then involved the Arkansas DEA and the Sheriff’s office narcotic unit,” Jenkins said.
After an investigation, it was discovered that the marijuana was being delivered to Benton County.
Peter Lee, 42, was arrested in connection to the case and is facing a possession of controlled substance charge.
“Once we got there, the person that was supposed to be taking over the property can and signed for that property, stating that is mine and at that point Mr. Lee was arrested for possession of a controlled substance,” he said.
The marijuana had a street value of $82,000, according to Jenkins.
“55 pounds of marijuana coming through and on the streets of Benton County in Northwest Arkansas is definitely something that our undercover, our narcotics division, the DEA is going to do everything they can to keep off the streets,” she said.
He was released on a $50,000 bond.
