Troopers seize $6.5M in marijuana along turnpike near Toledo

7/13/2007

Two Ontario people are to be arraigned this morning in Maumee Municipal Court after they were accused of having about $6.5 million worth of marijuana in cardboard boxes in their rented minivan on the Ohio Turnpike, authorities said.

Ming-Hong Ma, 26, of Scarborough, the driver of the minivan, and passenger Anh My-Lu, 25, of Markham, are each charged with trafficking in marijuana and possession of marijuana, second-degree felonies, a clerk at Maumee Municipal Court said.

Ohio Highway Patrol troopers stopped the minivan for speeding and marked lane violations in the westbound lanes of the turnpike in Swanton Township three miles west of the Toledo Express Airport exit about 2:25 p.m. Thursday, Lt. Tony Bradshaw of the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

He said a drug dog alerted to the minivan, which troopers searched and found the cardboard boxes containing a total of 142 pounds of marijuana. If convicted, both could face up to 16 years and a fine of up to $30,000.

Read more in later editions of The Blade and toledoblade.com.