Tip leads to marijuana bust

3 Indiana men arraigned in Wood Co. after seizure

7/13/2012

About 700 pounds of marijuana reportedly destined for the Toledo area was confiscated Wednesday by Lake Township police, officials said.

Sgt. Scott Sims said that a two-day investigation, after officials received a tip of "suspicious activity," resulted in the bust and the arrest of three Indiana men.

Held in the Wood County jail on one count each of drug possession are Klaus Grose, 32, Timothy Kierpiec, 53, and Ricardo Marcias, 32, all of Goshen, Ind. Each was held in lieu of $75,000 bond after being arraigned in Perrysburg Municipal Court. Mr. Grose is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 17; Mr. Kierpiec is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 19. No court records for Mr. Marcias were available Thursday.

The men were arrested Wednesday after arriving at the Super 8 Motel, 3491 Latcha Rd., before they could even check in, the sergeant said. Authorities searched two vehicles the men were traveling in and found the marijuana, with a reported street value of $850,000.

Sergeant Sims declined to comment on what made the men suspicious, citing an on-going investigation in which other agencies are also participating. The men could face unspecified, additional charges, he said.

Drug activity has been increasing in Lake Township for unknown reasons, the sergeant said, and the police department is "busier than most people think we are."

"We're very proud we can get that quantity of drugs off the streets," Sergeant Sims said. "The value is going to hurt the bad guys, but we're keeping drugs out of our area."