Marijuana bust nabs 1,800 pounds

STEELE, Mo. -- What began as a routine inspection at a Southeast Missouri weigh station ended with the seizure of nearly a ton of marijuana with a street value of $2.7 million.

It happened Sunday night on Interstate 55 near Steele. Sheldon Benjamin, 27, of Bronx, N.Y., was charged with drug trafficking and possession of a controlled substance. An arrest warrant was also issued for another passenger of the truck who fled the scene.

Missouri State Highway Patrol officials credited an alert inspector, Ron Abmeyer.

"The longer the commercial vehicle officer dealt with the driver and passenger, the more uncomfortable he felt with what they were telling him," Sgt. Larry Plunkett Jr. said.

Noting some inconsistencies, Abmeyer called in trooper Jason Crites and Sgt. Rick Sanders, along with a police dog, Ado.

During a search, the dog sniffed out marijuana hidden inside the tractor-trailer, Plunkett said. About 1,800 pounds of drugs were found in bins of watermelons, covered in transmission fluid apparently aimed at masking the marijuana odor.

Camouflaging marijuana's odor is a common trick, Plunkett said. Laundry detergent and air fresheners are often used.

"That may work on a human, but it doesn't work on a canine unit," he said.

Officers believe the load was coming from Texas and was bound for New York.

Plunkett credited Abmeyer for recognizing the warning signs that drugs might be on the tractor-trailer. He said commercial vehicle officers in the region are trained on what to look for.

"They can tell what is a good load of produce," Plunkett said. "When you look at 20, you can tell what is good and bad." The inspectors also know the trucking companies and their routes, Plunkett said.

"We depend on these guys," Plunkett said. "We get a lot of our information from them. Their work can't be overstated."

The Associated Press and the Daily American Republic contributed to this report.