Routine Traffic Stop; Pot and Over $10,000, LIVINGSTON, October 1, 2011 - At approximately 12:45 pm on Setpember 30, 2011, Lieutenant Andy Lowrie with the Polk County Sheriff's Office made a routine traffic stop on the south-bound side of US-59 about 2 miles north of Livingston. The car was a late model Nissan Altima and occupied by Melissa Marie Polk, 32, of St. Louis, Missouri and Dasha Shereese Reid, 31, also of St. Louis. Lowrie suspected drugs and gained consent to do a vehicle search. Lowrie was quickly joined by Sergeant Howard Smith also with the Sheriff's Office and Trooper Joe Cole with the Texas Highway Patrol. A search of the vehicle turned up over 2 ounces of marijuana and over $10,000 cash. Both women were placed under arrest for possession of felony possession of marijuana. The car was impounded by the Polk County Sheriff's Office for further investigation. A pickup truck that was allegedly associated with it was pulled over a short time later in Cleveland and had $7,000 cash.
Note: It is common in a situation like this for people coming from out of state with large amounts of cash to go to Houston and purchase large amounts of marijuana used in the drug trade.
During the vehicle search, Lieutenant Lowrie looked in the trunk...
Lowrie pulled out over 2 ounces of marijuana (Sergeant Howard Smith also pictured).
Both women were placed under arrest for felony possession of marijuana.
Deputy Mark Dubose showed up to assist in transport.
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