By Pat Culverhouse

A Thursday morning traffic stop on Interstate 20 has led to the arrest of two out-of-state men after Louisiana State Police troopers found a load of illegal narcotics in their vehicle.

Jeremiah Jarha Smith, 27, of Fort Morgan, CO, and 29-year-old Saigon Montrell Brooks of Chococwinity, NC are each charged with possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana) with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute CDS Sch. I.

Both men are being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center under bonds totaling $20,000 each, according to arrest records.

State Trooper Cade Talbert reportedly pulled over a vehicle driven by Smith just before 9 a.m. for moving slower than traffic flow and following a commercial motor vehicle too closely. Following the stop, the trooper reportedly smelled the odor of marijuana inside the vehicle.

Another state police unit arrived to assist in a vehicle search, and troopers reportedly found approximately five pounds of THC product, including several pounds of marijuana and THC wax, hidden in a duffel bag inside the trunk.

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the principal psychoactive constituent in marijuana.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.