Safety check nets marijuana, cocaine, cash

PURCELL, Okla. (AP) -- McClain County authorities seized 90 pounds of marijuana in a safety check along an Interstate 35 exit.<br><br>Sheriff Don Hewett said authorities took a 22-year-old female student

Friday, April 21st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PURCELL, Okla. (AP) -- McClain County authorities seized 90 pounds of marijuana in a safety check along an Interstate 35 exit.

Sheriff Don Hewett said authorities took a 22-year-old female student from the University of Oklahoma, a 23-year-old Norman man and a 22-year-old Vinita man into custody. He declined to release the names because of the continuing investigation.

Hewett said officers from the sheriff's department as well as Newcastle, Lexington and Purcell police were operating the vehicle
safety check when two vehicles tried to avoid the roadblock.

The cars traveled about a half-mile down a county dirt road before stopping for the officers in pursuit.

Hewett said the drugs were found on the back seats of the vehicles. There were no efforts to hide the drugs, he said.

Along with the marijuana, cocaine and cash, officers also found two loaded semiautomatic weapons. He said the two vehicles were
traveling together.

The bust came about 2:15 p.m.

The safety check, done with an Oklahoma Highway Safety Task Force grant, began about 8 a.m. Hewett said a total of 10 arrests
were made, including some for driving under suspension and possession of marijuana.

Hewett said the three arrested in the drug confiscation were booked on complaints of drug trafficking in marijuana, drug trafficking in cocaine and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Hewett said the department usually is successful at the location it manned Friday.

Nearby, Purcell police confiscated more marijuana, this time 150 pounds, after an officer stopped the driver of a pickup truck for
failing to signal, Chief Alex Oblein said.

The officer talked to the truck occupants and gained permission to search the vehicle, which had Texas license plates, Oblein said
of the stop near Oklahoma 74 and Interstate 35.

"During the search, he looked under the vehicle and saw the gas tank looked like it had been tampered with," Oblein said. "He
called for a canine unit, which was already assisting in a drug interdiction and the dog hit on the gas tank area of the vehicle."

Officials eventually found the marijuana and arrested the trio, he said.

Oblein estimated the value of the marijuana at $150,000 to $200,000.