(La Porte County, IN) - Police seized 112 pounds of marijuana from a passenger vehicle during a recent traffic stop in La Porte County.

 

Weicheng He, 45, and Yumei Qiu, 33, both of Chicago, were arrested on May 27 for Level 5 Felony Dealing in Marijuana.

 

According to La Porte County Police, they were in an eastbound SUV pulled over by Deputy Jon Samuelson on the Indiana Toll Road for tailgating a semi-truck and failing to use turn signals while changing lanes.

 

Police said the officer detected an odor of marijuana while approaching the vehicle and spotted a suitcase covered by a blanket in the back seat. The officer also noticed the driver was breathing rapidly and had a “death grip” on the steering wheel.

 

Police said a vacuum-sealed package of marijuana was found in two suitcases and four large plastic garbage bags removed from the 2015 Honda Pilot at the 58-mile marker near Rolling Prairie.

 

According to police, receipts from businesses like gas stations and a fast food restaurant shows they traveled from southern California.

 

The investigation, which included a translator to speak to the suspects, also revealed they might have been heading to New York City with the marijuana worth several hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

He was also cited for the alleged traffic violations.