A driver failing to stop his car behind the white line led to being pulled over by a Bryan policeman.
The traffic stop led to officers discovering 9.5 pounds of high-quality hydroponic marijuana with an estimated value of $75,500 and more than $5,000 cash.
Three men were arrested from the Saturday afternoon incident at Highway 21 and the Rudder Freeway.
Taken to the Brazos County Jail were 20 year old Dakota Zehnder and 23 year old Kevin Zehnder of Tyler and 21 year old Taylor Gadus of Elgin.
According to the arrest report, the patrolman who saw the traffic infraction and stopped the eastbound car was told by Kevin Zehnder they were on their way to his grandmother’s house.
The officer said he smelled marijuana after a car window was partially opened.
Inside the car was a opened bag of chips containing $2,600 in cash. Another $2,570 in cash was found in Kevin Zehnder’s pants, which he said he earned working construction jobs.
Nine large bags of marijuana were found in two combination lock containers and a 10th bag was in a backpack.
Also seized was a duffel bag containing a food saver machine and a digital scale and cell phones belonging to all three suspects, which officers say were all ringing constantly during the search. The Zehnder’s mother told WTAW News she, other family members, and a veternarian were among those calling those phones.
A dog in the car was also taken to jail until it was picked up by Zehnder’s mother.