Three Columbus residents were arrested in front of the United States Post Office Thursday afternoon and charged with possession of marijuana.
Sophia Sherika Erby, 32, of 319 Cecil Street, Elency Biazz Erby, 30, of 313 Pandora Dr., and Dekario LaMont Brewer, 20, of 207 Kermit St., were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana more than an ounce after approximately four pounds of marijuana was discovered in their possession. The arrests were made as a part of an ongoing investigation by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department Narcotic’s Division and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
Thursday’s arrest led to a search warrant of a home in East Columbus where more than a pound of spice, or synthetic marijuana, and other drug paraphernalia were seized.
Narcotics Commander Bobby Grimes said his unit is seeing more instances of higher quality marijuana in Lowndes County.
“We are having a problem with people trying to get high-grade marijuana, or kush, in from California,” Grimes said. “They can make a lot more money off it than Mexican ditch weed that they move in here. They’re willing to take more risks to get that quality of drug in here. We’ve been fortunate enough to catch most of it,” Grimes said.
Depending on the grade of the illegal substance, marijuana can sell from $300 to $500 an ounce. If the marijuana from Thursday’s arrest proves to be mid-grade, it would bring $400 an ounce, making the four pounds of seized marijuana worth $6,400 a pound, or more than $25,000 total.
While Sophia Erby, Elency Erby and Brewer were initially charged with possession of marijuana more than an ounce, that charge could be subject to change to possession of a kilo. A kilo is 2.2 pounds.
All three are still in the custody of the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center awaiting bond.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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