Bus Bust Turns Up Eleven Pounds of Pot

On Monday, December 17, 2012, Officers from the Lamar Police Department contacted the driver of the Greyhound Bus at North Main and Holly streets and were given permission to deploy a drug detection K9. The drug detection K9 alerted to a seat in the rear of the bus. A jacket and a pillow were sitting on that seat. Officers located a container with a small amount of marijuana in the jacket pocket. When the pillow was picked up it was abnormally heavy and foreign objects could be detected by feeling inside the pillow. On scene investigation and interviews of other bus passengers revealed the individual who had been sitting in the seat when the bus arrived in Lamar.

Officers contacted the individual, who proved to be Jason Ramirez, age 35, of Denver. Ramirez denied being on the bus, although the bus driver was holding a bus ticket in his name. A computer check of Ramirez revealed he was wanted on two outstanding warrants. Ramirez was detained and transported to the Police Annex for further investigation.

A search warrant was applied for and obtained, which authorized officers to check inside the pillow. When the pillow was opened, Officers discovered several individually wrapped bricks which proved to contain marijuana. The total weight of the marijuana was over 11 pounds.

Jason Ramirez was transported to the Prowers County Jail where he is being held on the active warrant and a charge of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Ramirez’s bond is currently set $32,000.

Gary McCrea
Chief of Police