LONDON, Ky - A traffic stop at a Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement weigh station has led to the largest marijuana seizure in the department's history.

Around noon (EST) Monday (Jan. 30) KVE Officer Randell A. Honeycutt made a traffic stop on a tractor-trailer for a safety inspection.

After talking with the driver, the KVE reported, it was determined that a further inspection was warranted.

A KVE Special Operations K-9 was then brought in to inspect the truck where the scent of marijuana was detected.

Special Operations Officers Joey Conn and Steve Burke assisted Honeycutt in a further inspection of the suspects vehicle which then reportedly led to a drug seizure of approximately 1,300 pounds of marijuana with a street worth of just over 1.5 million dollars.

Officers also found and seized over $23,000 in cash.

As a result of the discovery, the KVE arrested Abner Omar Valencia Espina, 26, and Victor Manuel Valenzuela Saavedra, 23, and charged the two men with trafficking in marijuana (over five pounds), possession of narcotics with the intent to distribute, expired license and expired registration.

They were lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center.

“This impressive marijuana seizure eliminates another opportunity for drugs to hit our communities,” said Kentucky Lt. Governor Steve Pence, secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

“I commend the drug interdiction efforts of our brave KVE officers.”

A variety of state and local law enforcement agencies were part of the arrests and the follow-up investigation of the incident.