TROOPERS SAY STRING OF DRUG HAULS GROWS

Illegal Thursdays on the Ohio Turnpike came a day early this week when a
pair of Washington residents were arrested by Ohio Highway Patrol troopers
for allegedly transporting 50 pounds of marijuana on the interstate.

Ronald Stevens, 50, and Amina Zola, 58, were arraigned yesterday in Maumee
Municipal Court. They were arrested Wednesday by troopers who stopped their
2002 minivan.

They are charged with second-degree drug abuse. Mr. Stevens faces
additional charges for speeding and driving with a suspended license. Bond
was set at $25,000 each, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for
Thursday. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up to 16 years in prison
and fined $30,000.

On four consecutive Thursdays beginning Dec. 20, troopers from the Ohio
Highway Patrol's Findlay post have seized more than $125,000 in cash,
hundreds of pounds of marijuana, and 23 pounds of illegal hallucinogenic
mushrooms on eastbound I-80 in Maumee.

Troopers made no large seizures on the turnpike last week.

"The troopers work diligently each and every day of the week to ensure we
stop narcotics prior to them entering our community," Lt. Gary Lewis of the
Columbus patrol office said yesterday.

At 11:31 a.m. Wednesday, troopers pulled over Mr. Stevens for driving a
Ford Windstar 83 miles an hour in a 65-mph zone, near mile marker 53.

A trooper providing backup assistance had a dog trained to detect drugs
with him.

"The dog walked around the outer portion of the vehicle" and indicated the
presence of drugs, Lieutenant Lewis said. "If the dog alerts, I have the
legal right and grounds to search the vehicle."

During the search, troopers allegedly found 53 bundles of marijuana in side
and backdoor panels. The marijuana had an estimated value of $113,500.

In the past six weeks troopers have confiscated 363 pounds of marijuana
worth nearly $900,000 on the eastbound portion of the turnpike between the
exits for Airport Highway and State Rt. 20.

"It had been a twist of irony that we had seen success in that area,"
Lieutenant Lewis said.