Deputies: Elderly couple says 60 pounds of pot in vehicle was for Christmas gifts

Deputies received a stunning answer during a traffic stop on a Nebraska interstate Tuesday. An elderly couple claimed that the nearly 60 pounds of marijuana found inside their vehicle, worth more than $300,000, had been earmarked as gifts.

"They said the marijuana was for Christmas presents," Lt. Paul Vrbka told the York News-Times.

Patrick Jiron, 80, and Barbara Jiron, 83, were arrested by the York County Sheriff’s Department, the News-Times reported. The couple told deputies they were from Clearlake Oaks, Calif., and were heading for Vermont. Deputies stopped the Toyota Tacoma on I-80 near the town of Bradshaw after they saw the vehicle cross the center line and fail to signal, the News-Times reported.

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Vrbka said when the vehicle was stopped, deputies allegedly detected a “strong odor” of marijuana and conducted a probable cause search. The marijuana was found in boxes stored inside the pickup topper. The street value was estimated at $336,000, Vrbka told the News-Times.

Cox Media Group