SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) – Smith County deputies arrested a man Friday after they said he was caught traveling with more than 27 pounds of marijuana on Interstate 20.
Reinaldo James Hernandez was held over the weekend at the Smith County Jail on a $10,000 bond for a charge of possession of marijuana, more than five pounds but less than 50 pounds, according to jail records.
While on Interstate 20, a Smith County deputy pulled over a white GMC Sierra driven by Hernandez for driving in the left lane without passing, according to an affidavit obtained by KLTV.
While speaking with Hernandez, the deputy smelled marijuana and asked to search his vehicle, which Hernandez denied, according to the affidavit.
A K-9 and its handler conducted a free-air sniff, and the dog gave a positive alert, which led to a search of the vehicle that turned up three 3.5-gram bags of marijuana in the rear seat and an unknown amount of marijuana, according to the affidavit.
Deputies found a suitcase in the bed of the vehicle that contained 25 vacuum-sealed bags containing a total of 27.5 pounds of marijuana, according to the affidavit.
Deputies arrested Hernandez at 2:12 p.m. near mile marker 561 on Interstate 20 and booked him into the Smith County Jail, where he remained until his release on bond at 9:29 p.m. Saturday, according to jail records.
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