The third major marijuana seizure in two months in southeastern North Dakota yielded more than 475 pounds of the drug, worth more than $3 million, and charges against two men.
Third huge bust on I-94 in N.D. in 2 months nets $3M worth of pot
In each case, a Minnesotan has been arrested and charged.
January 24, 2018 at 3:30AM
On Monday, Nhia Lee, 36, of St. Paul, and Bee Thor, 37, of Oshkosh, appeared in Stutsman County District Court and were each charged with felony intent to deliver marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Sheriff's Office said the two men were pulled over in a pickup truck Sunday 8 miles east of Jamestown on eastbound Interstate 94 for a minor traffic violation.
A search in back under the topper turned up 476 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $3.04 million, said Police Chief Chad Kaiser.
Both men have requested public defenders, and they remain jailed Tuesday in lieu of $200,000 bail.
Last month, according to the Sheriff's Office, a deputy discovered nearly 200 pounds of marijuana and nearly $5,000 in cash in a minivan driven by Mae Thao, 31, St. Paul, with Xang Thao, 30, Redding, Calif., as a passenger. That traffic stop occurred about 9 miles east of Jamestown. They also remain jailed as their cases proceed.
In November, Kimberly Norton, 35, of Askov, Minn., near Duluth, was caught driving on eastbound I-94 with 286 pounds of marijuana, authorities said. Norton made bail, and her case continues in Cass County District court.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
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