A 60-year-old Nakusp woman has been arrested just east of Grand Forks after being found with 8.4 kg (18 and a half pounds) of marijuana.
The constable on patrol noticed a vehicle driving slightly erratically at 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28. The officer stopped the car and checked the driver. When she smelled the recognizable odour of pot, she asked the driver if she had any marijuana on her. The driver showed her a small amount, and the constable arrested her.
During the search of her vehicle, the Grand Forks RCMP discovered 8.4 kilograms of marijuana packaged into smaller portions. A charge of possession with the intent to distribute has been recommended to Crown council. The woman's name will not be released until she is formally charged. She has been released on a promise to appear.
It is unlikely the woman was heading to the border, said Staff Sergeant Jim Harrison, who pointed out that Highway 3 which passes through Grand Forks is a major thoroughfare for all traffic.
"This isn't unusual," Harrison said, "In the drug trade, transportation is part of the cycle. More often than not, drugs are driven down the highway in a private vehicle."