MARION, Ill. – A traffic stop on Interstate 57 in rural Southern Illinois led to the arrest of a Mississippi man who was allegedly found with three garbage bags filled with cannabis weighing a total of 82.9 pounds.
The incident occurred just north of Marion overnight on Monday.
According to Chief David Fitts of the Marion Police Department, a Marion police officer pulled over a vehicle for speeding through an interstate construction zone just before 1 a.m.
During the traffic stop, the officer noticed a large bag in the rear of the vehicle that appeared to contain marijuana. The driver, later identified as William Davis, was asked to exit the vehicle and additional assistance was requested.
Upon further investigation, police allegedly discovered three clear plastic bags containing the marijuana, as well as 30 bottles of THC syrup and 40 vape pens.
Davis, a 44-year-old resident of Lexington, Mississippi, was arrested and charged with various offenses, including manufacture/delivery of cannabis, cannabis trafficking, driving with a revoked or suspended license, and speeding in a construction zone. He is currently in custody at the Williamson County Jail.
Marion Police noted the marijuana possession in Illinois is regulated by state law, with restrictions on the amount that individuals over 21 years of age can possess, and even stricter limits for non-Illinois residents.
This incident serves as a reminder that despite marijuana being legal in Illinois, there are still regulations and limits in place for possession and transportation.
