COAL GROVE— The Coal Grove Police Department made the largest marijuana bust in the village’s history early Saturday morning.

Sgt. Mike Delawder and the department’s K-9, Jango, arrested two males and one female at 3 a.m. Saturday during a traffic stop as the red 2009 Nissan Altima was heading eastbound on U.S. 52.

Arrested for trafficking in drugs and numerous other charges were William Moudy, 29, of Lexington, Kentucky, Tyler Privette, 21, of Upton, Kentucky, and Madalyn Swisher, 18, who has a Lexington, Kentucky address, although she was staying in Ironton.

“They went to the Speedway, and one of our officers who was there heard a noise, but didn’t see what it was,” Coal Grove Police Chief Eric Spurlock said. “The clerk told him that it was a gun that had fallen from one of the males, and he called Sgt. Delawder.”

Delawder stopped the vehicle for tag light and brake light infractions, and when Jango sniffed around the vehicle, marijuana was found on each side of the vehicle and in the trunk.

“The driver, Moudy, handed over a passport as a form of ID because his driver’s license was suspended, and we found a .45-caliber handgun and $150 cash,” Delawder said. “Jango sniffed around the vehicle and found small bags of marijuana on the driver’s and passenger’s side and a large bag full in the trunk.”

In the trunk, 4.25 lbs. of marijuana in vacuum-sealed packages were found inside of a smell proof duffle bag.

“All of the packages had numbers on them. There was an estimated street value of $40,000,” Spurlock said. “They were on their way to Lexington to sell it. They mainly sell in Lexington and Louisville.”

Spurlock added that 13 total charges are faced between the three, and the department is currently in the process of obtaining a search warrant for cell phones and to seize the vehicle.

David Marcum, from the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office, said the bust was also the largest Lawrence County marijuana bust in five years.

The three are set to appear in Ironton Municipal Court at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon.