September 27, 2007    Preble County, Ohio
Trooper seizes 12 pounds of "BC Bud" marijuana

A New York man is facing felony drug possession charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized 12 pounds of BC Bud marijuana, valued at approximately $545,454, during a traffic stop yesterday on Interstate 70 in Preble County.

The driver, Joseph Gordon MacDonald, 36, of Ithaca, New York, was charged with possession of marijuana, a third-degree felony.

Troopers stopped a 2007 Ford Focus, displaying Colorado registration, for a following too close violation eastbound on I-70 near milepost 7 in Preble County at 1:07 p.m. yesterday. A drug-detecting canine alerted to the vehicle, and a probable cause search revealed 12 pounds of BC Bud marijuana.

The suspect is incarcerated in the Preble County Jail, and will be arraigned in the Preble County Court today. If convicted, MacDonald could face up to five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

BC Bud marijuana is one of the most potent strains of cannabis, which is usually cultivated in British Columbia. It has a THC content of 30 percent as compared to only four percent in traditional marijuana.

Source: Ohio State Highway Patrol