POT BUST NETS 50 POUNDS

CROWN POINT --- A Lake County Drug Interdiction officer on Wednesday night
discovered a 50-pound bag of marijuana inside the minivan of a Chicago man
after a traffic stop.

The driver, Armando Arambula, 27, was stopped for speeding about 5 p.m. on
Interstate 65 near the Kankakee River by Officer Oscar Martinez, county
police spokesman Michael Higgins said.

Higgins said Arambula was traveling 73 mph in a 65 mph zone.

Arambula allegedly told the officer he was traveling to Indianapolis.
Police said Arambula granted permission to search his vehicle for guns or
drugs.

It was then that the officer found a box in the third seat that contained
the marijuana, which has an estimated street value of $229,000, Higgins said.

The officer said the interior of the minivan was heavily scented with
various objects, including air fresheners, detergent and fabric softener,
to mask the odor of the marijuana, police said.

Arambula will be charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to
distribute in Lake Superior Court, Higgins said.

He said the 50 pounds of marijuana will be destroyed.

County police stopped another Chicago driver, Gerardo Valtierra, on Tuesday
afternoon for a traffic violation on I-65 near the Kankakee River and
allegedly uncovered a package wrapped in tin foil that contained $190,000
in cash.

Valtierra, his wife and child were released with the vehicle after stating
they recently purchased the car and knew nothing about the money.

Higgins said police think the money is from drug-related sales. He also
said police suspect no connection between the two drivers.

The $190,000, of which 80 percent police can claim as its portion of drug
seizure money, will remain in the department, he said.