Traffic stop leads to arrest for money laundering

Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. A rental van traveling through Jefferson County on Thursday, Feb. 6, was stopped for a moving violation by members of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Criminal Interdiction Unit near mile marker 219 westbound on Interstate 10. FHP reports that troopers detected the odor of burnt marijuana and thus had probable cause to search the vehicle. The cargo area was found to contain 191 commercially imprinted packages of marijuana, together weighing 4.8 pounds. In the center console, officers located a Glock 27 pistol and currency totaling $1,265. Pocket trash indicated that the driver, Alex Z. Mathis, had traveled from Tallahassee to Miami for the marijuana. Ma