DPS seizes 4,100 pounds of marijuana after traffic stop

Officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau (CVEB) conducted a traffic stop on a commercial vehicle at 11:55 PM, on Interstate 17 northbound, just north of Anthem. The vehicle was stopped because the trailer unit did not have a license plate displayed properly on the rear.

Department of Public Safety

DPS seized 4,100 pounds of marijuana and a commercial vehicle after a traffic stop.

During the initial interview of the driver, he displayed several behaviors that were indicative of possible criminal activity. The driver consented to a search of the vehicle. A DPS K-9 unit was requested to assist in the search of the vehicle. The trailer was a refrigerated box type, loaded with 20 pallets of boxes containing styrofoam plates. The boxes were stacked to the roof of the trailer. The K-9 unit was able to get near the front of the trailer were it alerted on the front area where five pallets containing 184 bundles of marijuana wrapped in cellophane was found.

The investigation uncovered that the commercial vehicle originated out of Tucson, Arizona with a destination of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for both the consumer products and the illicit load. Each bundle of marijuana was estimated to weigh approximately 20-25 pounds each. If the marijuana load it been distributed and sold per pound in Arizona, the total estimated street value would be approximately $2,500,000. The estimated street value drastically changes because of the East Coast market or Philadelphia area which would place the estimated street value at its intended destination to be approximately $6,000,000. So this is a huge marijuana seizure by DPS CVEB Officers, which greatly disrupted the U.S. drug market.

The driver of the commercial vehicle was identified as Denzil O. McFarlane, age 41, resident of Lakeland, Florida. There were no other occupants in the vehicle. The commercial vehicle was identified as a white 2003 Volvo Conventional Tractor with a Wabash Refrigerated Box Trailer. The commercial vehicle has an estimated value of over $150,000 and is owned by the driver operating under the company name of DOM Transport.

Denzil O. McFarlane was placed under arrest and booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail. He was charged with Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Marijuana for Sale and Transportation of Marijuana for Sale. The commercial vehicle was also seized along with the marijuana load.