Unusual Bust: Hundreds of pounds of marijuana smuggled in broccoli shipment

Police on Monday said they made one of the area’s largest and most unusual drug busts.

Hundreds of pounds of marijuana were found smuggled in with a delivery of broccoli being dropped off at a produce distribution company.

The owner of RS Hanline and Company called police Friday when one of their shipments looked out of the ordinary.

There were eight bales hidden amongst boxes of broccoli, Seavert reported.

Those bales tipped the scales at 285 pounds or marijuana.

Police Chief Charles Roub said the broccoli was traced to Mexico, but the truck driver, Elias Cruz, said he picked up the vegetables from another driver in Texas.

“We do know it stopped in Dallas, the truck was impounded there for one day. The original driver had been arrested on a warrant there,“ Roub said.

Investigators said Cruz also had another passenger in the truck, who was not licensed to drive and said his story did not add up.

Cruz has been charged with drug possession, Seavert reported.

“We’re talking about a street value somewhere around $350,000,“ Roub said.

Police are working to determine who smuggled the drugs and where they were headed.

Cruz is currently being held in the Richland County Jail.