80 pounds of weed, thousands of pills found during traffic stop

Utah Highway patrol seized 80 pounds of marijuana and thousands of MDMA pills and other drugs after a routine traffic stop in Summit County. Photo: UHP

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah –  A routine traffic stop in Summit County on Sunday took an unexpected turn when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper uncovered a significant drug trafficking attempt.

According to an affidavit, 50-year-old Duane Joseph Lee was stopped on Interstate 80 for driving ten mph over the speed limit. During the stop, the trooper smelled marijuana and asked Lee if he had a medical marijuana card. When Lee admitted he did not, the trooper conducted a probable cause search.

Inside the vehicle, officers found a duffle bag containing bulk marijuana. Lee was arrested, and his car was taken to a Highway Patrol office for further inspection.

The secondary search revealed more drug-related items, including:

• 83 pounds of marijuana
• Six bags of psychedelic mushrooms
• 4,000 MDMA pills in a vacuum-sealed bag
• 200 weed extract cartridges
• Over 30 packages of marijuana edibles

Lee was booked into the Summit County Jail on suspicion of eight charges, including possession of marijuana, two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and three counts of possession with intent to distribute and use or possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held without bail.