Four people were arrested after a local Ohio K9 sniffed out drugs from a vehicle.
Officers in St. Clairsville, Ohio, made a traffic stop at a pickup truck baring Mississippi plates seen allegedly driving left of center on S. Marietta St.
Police say they observed criminal indicators from the driver and passengers.
The driver of the vehicle, Frank Schofro of Pascagoula, Mississippi, allegedly denied the officer’s consent to search the vehicle when asked.
K9 Ruger was then deployed to sniff the vehicle with an alleged positive indication of the odor of drugs in the vehicle.
Officers began searching the vehicle and allegedly located a bulk amount of suspected methamphetamine in numerous packages and locations, as well as suspected fentanyl, various pills, and other illegal substances.
Officers also said they found numerous used hypodermic syringes, meth pipes, and other illegal drug paraphernalia.
Also in the vehicle were three passengers identified as Tiffany Swindle of Natchez, Mississippi. Hayley Pendly of Gulfport, Mississippi, and Michael Hester of Gautier, Mississippi.
All four occupants were arrested and taken to the Belmont County Jail, where they were booked on various charges such as felony drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of drug abuse instruments.
All four individuals have been released from the Belmont County jail.
(Video in the story shows the top stories for Thursday, November 16, 2023)
