Abbeville Police Chief Mike Jones says Thursday night's marijuana bust was the third marijuana trafficking arrest just this year.

Chief Jones says he believes that drug trafficking along highwasy 431 from Atlanta to Panama City has increased in the past year, and that this might be due to an increased amount of visitors to the Panama City area.

Abbeville patroller Jesse Ingram stopped 28-year-old Michael Anthony Mitchell Jr. of Panama City late last night under suspicion of intoxication. Mitchell was pulled over for running a red light, and swerving over the dotted line.

Ingram says he could smell the pot upon walking up to the car. Ingram called for backup from the Henry County Sheriff's Office. The bust was made with the help of Trix, the Sheriff's office new drug sniffing dog.
In addition to the pot, more than twelve hundred dollars cash was retrieved.

Despite efforts to combat the drug trafficking, Chief Jones estimates ninety percent of all drug traffickers do reach their destination.

With prior arrests to his record, Chief Ingram suspects that Michael Mitchell will be sentenced to life in prison.

Marijuana trafficking charges are given when a person transports more than 2.2 pounds of pot.