Two college students face drug charges after police say they picked up a package of marijuana-filled potato chip bags from their local post office in Wise, Va.
According to Wise Police Chief Tony Bates, the six bags of Lay’s wavy original potato chips had been stuffed with weed and shipped in a box from California.
This package was just the latest in a series that Bates said constitute the largest amount of mail-order marijuana he’s encountered in his 32-year police career.
“There were several packets that actually came through to this particular post office in Wise,” said Bates. “We estimate from the weight of this packet and from all the other packets that have come through the Wise post office, anywhere from approximately 36 to 40 pounds.”
He said Monday he was still calculating the street value of the drugs.
Yusiff N. Thulla, 24, and 22-year-old Henry D. Holmes Jr., were charged with possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy after police say they picked up the box Thursday. Both men are students at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
No one at the college could be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
Bates said officials at the post office became suspicious of the packages and called the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, a federal law enforcement agency. Officials with that agency then intercepted the package and opened it to inspect the contents: six potato chip bags packed with marijuana, stuffed into the box with Styrofoam packing peanuts.
After arresting Thulla, who lists an Alexandria, Va., address, Bates said police searched the car driven by Holmes, who listed an address in a local trailer park.
In the trunk of the 1989 Honda, he said they found more than $3,700 in cash in a shoebox and documents indicating that money had been wired to California. They then arrested Holmes; two other people in the vehicle were released.
During a search of Holmes’ trailer, Bates said police found more documentation of packages being sent from California and more marijuana.
Both of the arrested men were released on unsecured bonds.
Bates said it’s a good possibility that more people will be charged in the case.
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