MISSISSIPPI — Authorities in Rankin County arrested a man and a woman this week in connection with a large-scale marijuana trafficking operation.
On November 12, Puckett police stopped a Chevrolet Suburban on Highway 18 and discovered 120 pounds of marijuana.
The Rankin County Sheriff’s Office was called to assist, and investigators from the Rankin/City of Madison Interdiction Task Force launched an investigation into the origin and distribution of the drugs.
Investigators determined that large amounts of marijuana were being stored in the Jackson-metro area and distributed to multiple locations across Mississippi.
On November 14, authorities executed a search warrant at a rented warehouse near the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport. There, they seized 500 pounds of marijuana and a large sum of U.S. currency. The street value of the drugs is estimated at over $1 million.
Sheriff Bryan Bailey said investigators believe the marijuana originated in California and was shipped to Mississippi in bulk before being broken down for distribution to local dealers.
Two suspects, Karissa McDonald and Jose De Jesus Vasquez Estrada, were arrested and charged with trafficking a Schedule I controlled substance.
