Drug stash found on I-70

Posted to Police Beat by Abby Rogers at 5:21 p.m., Dec. 9, 2008

Missouri State Highway Patrol officers recovered 9 pounds of marijuana, 102 pills of hydrocodine, 174 pills of valium and 86 pills of oxycodine during a routine traffic stop today.

After receiving conflicting information from the driver and passenger during the traffic stop, officers began a K-9 search, which yielded the drugs, stated a news release from the department.

The drugs were hidden in packages wrapped as Christmas presents.

Andrew K. Lojek, 28, of San Francisco, Calif. and Matthew S. Bell, 25, of Clearlake, Calif., were arrested and charged with four counts of felony possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, stated the news release.