Trooper confiscates 4,500 THC vape cartridges

An Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper confiscated thousands of vape cartridges containing THC during a traffic stop on I-40 near Sallisaw last month.

Trooper Clint Craft reported just after 8:30 a.m. on March 27 he was traveling westbound near the 308 mile marker when he noticed a silver Hyundai Tucson SUV speeding and traveling in the inside lane.

Craft reportedly caught up to the vehicle near the 310 mile-marker where he conducted a traffic stop at the 311-exit ramp. The trooper also reported smelling a strong odor of marijuana after stopping the driver, Gary A. Liske Jr., 37, of Tecumseh and the passenger, Dakota L. Liske, 22, of Oklahoma City.

The trooper said he was going to issue a warning for the traffic violation and told the men he had smelled marijuana in the SUV. Both men were then asked to sit in the trooper’s patrol unit while he conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle.

Craft located a partially burnt cigarette containing a green leafy substance on the front passenger seat, a plastic bag containing green leafy residue by the middle console, and there was loose suspected marijuana located throughout the SUV.

After opening a taped box in the back seat, Craft discovered 2,500 vape cartridges labeled to contain THC. A second box was located in the rear cargo area containing 2,000 vape cartridges labeled to contain THC.

Both men were placed under arrest and charged with unlawful possession of controlled drug with intent to distribute (marijuana) and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Both are now scheduled for a May 17 felony disposition docket before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters.