TOOELE COUNTY – A former Georgia police officer has been charged with having over 200 pounds of marijuana in his car when he was pulled over by UHP troopers in late May.
Investigators say they pulled Edward Hansen over for having improperly tinted windows. Court records show he started acting nervously and shaking, noticeably. Drug sniffing dogs were brought to the scene, and reportedly found 222 one-pound sealed bags of the drug. Sergeant Todd Royce says they’re seeing people from all kinds of backgrounds and social classes coming through Utah with shipments of pot. “We’re seeing it all over the board as people just need cash. They’ll go to California, buy bulk marijuana, head back east, split it up and sell it.”
According to court records, Hansen reportedly told the arresting officers that hauling marijuana was like a game, and even after being arrested, it was still worth the risk. Royce says many drug mules aren’t as afraid as they used to be of getting caught. He says, “Getting caught, every once in a while, is just the cost of doing business,” adding, “As you go from west to east, starting in California going to the east coast, the price of marijuana increases exponentially.”
Investigators believe Hansen was bringing the pot back to Georgia. His next hearing is set for July 25.