JUNE 22, 2018 (LINCOLN, NEB.) Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) seized more than 40 pounds of marijuana and multiple narcotics during three separate incidents on Interstate 80 Thursday, in multiple parts of the state.
The first occurred at approximately 12:20 a.m. Thursday, June 21, when a trooper stopped a 2018 Nissan for speeding on eastbound I-80 west of Omaha. The vehicle was traveling at 101 miles per hour in a 75 miles per hour zone.
During the stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity and conducted a search of the vehicle. The search revealed personal use amounts of cocaine, Ecstasy, Adderall, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. The driver, Erick Arandareyes, 22, of Victorville, California, was arrested for numerous charges related to possession of controlled substances. Arandareyes was lodged in Sarpy County Jail.
The second encounter occurred at an eastbound rest area near Ogallala on I-80. Troopers had received a report of the driver of a 2006 Nissan coupe smoking marijuana. At approximately 5:25 MDT, a trooper located the vehicle at a rest area. Upon contacting the driver, the trooper detected the odor of marijuana. A search of the vehicle revealed nearly 16 pounds of marijuana in bags inside the car.
The driver, Joshua Gordon, 27, of Omaha, was arrested for possession of marijuana more than one pound, possession with intent to deliver, and no Drug Tax stamp. He was lodged in Keith County Jail.
The third incident occurred just after 7:00 p.m. CDT, when a trooper observed a 2018 Ford Edge fail to stop at a stop sign after exiting I-80 at the Giltner exit at mile marker 324.
During the traffic stop, an NSP K9 detected the odor of a controlled substance inside the vehicle.
Troopers searched the vehicle and found 25 pounds of marijuana inside luggage in the vehicle.
The driver, Jonathon Mitchell, 31, of Louisville, Kentucky, and passenger Claire Pupo, 29, of Grass Valley, California, were arrested for possession of marijuana more than one pound, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no Drug Tax stamp. Both were lodged in Hamilton County Jail.