CHETOPA — A traffic stop on Sunday evening turned up 5 pounds of methamphetamine in the trunk of a car traveling through Chetopa to Joplin, according to Labette County Sheriff Darren Eichinger. Deputies arrested two people.
Eichinger said the traffic stop happened around 8:15 p.m. Sunday in Chetopa. Deputy Connor Eichinger stopped the vehicle traveling eastbound at 39 mph in a 25 mph zone. Sheriff said the deputy asked for the sheriff’s K-9 Benny to sniff for the presence of drugs based on the conversation with the occupants. Benny indicated the presence of drugs and a search turned up the meth in the trunk.
The crystal meth was packaged in plastic bags, some of them vacuum sealed.
Sheriff Eichinger said the meth could be valued between $113,000 to more than $227,000 on the street.
Deputies arrested the driver, Paul R. Stevens, 62, on suspicion of distribution of meth and his passenger, Krista L. Holland, 25, on warrants from Montgomery and Labette counties. The duo were enroute to Joplin from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Sheriff Eichinger said.
