Bond set at $500,000 for pair of drug suspects

6/20/2003

Two Arizona woman arrested after they were found with 362 pounds of suspected marijuana in their pickup truck were being held in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $500,000 bonds after arraignments yesterday in Maumee Municipal Court.

Christina Mejia, 24, and Belinda Amparano, 29, both of Tucson, were charged with drug trafficking and drug possession. The suspected drug had an estimated value of $817,000. Ms. Mejia also was charged with driving without a license and driving outside marked lanes, while Ms. Amparano was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Ohio Highway Patrol stopped the women's eastbound truck Wednesday on the Ohio Turnpike, just west of Reynolds Road, for a traffic violation. A drug dog with the patrol hit on the truck, which was then |searched. The marijuana was found compressed in the bed of the pickup, the patrol said.