A routine traffic stop on St. Croix Saturday led to the discovery of an illegal firearm and jars of marijuana, the V.I. Police Department reported.
At around 4:39 p.m., officers of the Special Operations Bureau were on patrol in Frederiksted Town, on Emancipation Drive near Loops when a gray Chevy Cruze was observed being operated with a heavily tinted front windshield which passed the AS1 line, according to the police report.
When officers stopped the vehicle, a strong odor of what appeared to be marijuana emanated from the inside of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted and as a result, a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and an obliterated serial number was recovered, along with several clear mason jars and clear sandwich bags containing what appeared to be marijuana, the police report stated.
Subsequently, Zaphique R. Jacobs, 29, was placed under arrest for carrying of a firearm openly or concealed, and possession with intent to distribute and possession or sale of ammunition. His bail was set at $50,000, police said.
