Motorist on I-65 nabbed with more than 230 pounds of pot, Lake County sheriff says

Henry Anthony Sandoval, 35, claimed during the traffic stop just south of Lowell that he was helping a friend move from Chicago to Indianapolis, Martinez said.

"He told the officer he'd flown to Chicago and rented the vehicle to help his friend move, but he could not give the officer logical responses when asked about which area of Chicago his friend lived in or the area where he was moving," the sheriff said.

"The officer observed the driver become very nervous when speaking about the boxes inside the vehicle," he said.

Based on inconsistencies in Sandoval's story, a Winfield narcotics dog was brought to the site and alerted officers to the large amount of marijuana in the boxes, Martinez said. An undisclosed amount of cash was also found.

A Lake County officer, working as part of the department's highway interdiction team, said he stopped the white minivan in the southbound lanes of the highway around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday after seeing it switch lanes in an unsafe manner.

Sandoval, of Alameda, California, was arrested and taken to the Newton County jail, Martinez said. He faces a charge of possession with intent to distribute.

The highway interdiction team routinely patrols area expressways looking for those transporting illegal weapons, drugs, currency obtained through crimes and other contraband, Martinez said.

"To those who would commit these crimes and travel through Lake County, let me be clear: We are looking for you," the sheriff said. "We will find you and bring you to justice."