When Mesa police responded to a report of a possible stolen vehicle at the Waterstone apartment complex last week, they discovered a lot more inside the van — 710 pounds of marijuana.
Police responded to a call about a suspicious van at the complex, 1651 S. Dobson Road, about 7:30 p.m. March 21, and soon after had confiscated about three dozen bales containing the drug.
The van, a 2006 Ford Econoline, was not stolen, but officers noticed an “overwhelming odor of marijuana” coming from inside the van. When the officer looked inside the van’s windows, he noticed bales of marijuana covered by a tarp.
Police brought in a canine officer, which quickly was alerted to the van, police said.
No one was seen near or inside the van, and at this time police have not been able to connect anyone to the van or the large amount of marijuana, valued at $355,000 or $500 a pound.
The 710 pounds of pot was not the largest drug find in Mesa, but the amount was unusual to find in a van, said Sgt. Ed Wessing, a Mesa police spokesman.
• Contact writer: (480) 898-6533 or msakal@evtrib.com
Leon Ceniceros posted at 5:35 pm on Thu, Mar 31, 2011.
What a sad state of affairs.....710 LBS OF MARIJUANA FOUND IN SOUTH MESA AND THE EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE DOESN'T EVEN MAKE IT THE........."LEAD STORY".
This is just across the freeway from Mesa Community College and 5-6 miles from A.S.U.
Where are all the Progressive/Liberal/Left-wing/Democrat bloggers giving us the same baloney that.............. all the Mexican Illegal Aliens just want to come over the Arizona Border and ......."PICK TOMATOES"...............GIVE US A BREAK.
These ...MEXICAN ILLEGAL ALIENS COME OVER THE BORDER TO .......SELL DRUGS...........STEAL AMERICAN'S IDENTITIES..........STEAL CARS..........COMMIT HOME INVASIONS, RAPES, ASSUALTS AND EVERY OTHER CRIME THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH.......................AND WHAT IS OUR DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT OBAMA DOING..........HE IS INVADING ANOTHER COUNTRY...........INSTEAD OF PROTECTING HIS OWN COUNTRY..........well maybe that's the ...........PROBLEM....Obama doesn't consider AMERICA....his problem because ..........HE WAS NEVER BORN IN AMERICA.
LET'S HEAR OLD .....SECY OF HOMELAND "IN"-SECURITY....JANET... "I NEVER MET AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT THAT I DIDN'T LOVE"... NAPOLITANO......TELLING CNN THAT ..............."ARIZONA IS THE SAFEST STATE IN THE NATION"...............WELL, MAYBE FOR .........DRUG-SMUGGLERS IT IS ...WITH OUR LOCAL ..............."DON'T ASK...DON'T TELL".....LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS.
11secgn posted at 2:51 pm on Fri, Apr 1, 2011.
Leon...... how the he!! did this turn into an illegal alien story. I didn't see anyting in the story leading anyone to believe the van belonged to an illegal alien. There are other people in this country who sell and transport drugs. Sounds to me... someone has had too much kool-aid....