OSHP sees 12 percent increase in drug arrests so far in 2016

YOUNGSTOWN — The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports a 12 percent increase in total drug arrests during the first six months of 2017 compared to the same time period last year.

Troopers made 8,399 total drug arrests.

Those arrests have resulted in 2,387 felony drug cases, including 35 in Mahoning County and 56 in Trumbull County.

“Many felonies that occur in our state will at some point involve our highways,” said Lt. Jerad Sutton, Canfield Post commander. “That means troopers have an opportunity to stop a crime by looking for criminal indicators during traffic stops.”

One stop this year yielded 50 pounds of marijuana and hashish worth more than $1 million.

In total, OSHP has seized more than 860,000 grams of marijuana and 26,000 grams of heroin this year.