A truck hauling melons apparently had an illicit agricultural cargo as well, reported Ocala.com. Florida Department of Transportation officials arrested an Orlando driver Thursday for allegedly trafficking marijuana, after 800 pounds of the drug were discovered “nestled among a load of melons”, the report said.
The driver, Richard Garfield Coulton, told reporters he was “shocked” to find his truck was hauling the drug when an inspection at the Wildwood weigh station in Marion County.
Coulton had been traveling from Arizona to Miami when brake problems caused a tire to blow. A small piece of the tire hit a nearby DOT official in the face as the officer was dealing with a stopped vehicle. After giving the DOT official his license and documents, he repaired the tire and resumed travel, he said.
The Starcom Logistics driver told reporters he was stopped afterward, and directed to the weigh station, being told he didn’t give any paperwork at his previous stop. While there, officials asked to inspect his truck because he was “acting strangely”, an allegation he denied, adding that he gave permission.
Two pallets of marijuana, totaling about 810 pounds, were found on top of a load of cantaloupes, the report said. Coulton said he didn’t know about the marijuana and no one else had access to his vehicle.
Source: Ocala.com: More than 800 pounds of marijuana found in produce truck. Austin L. Miller.
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