State troopers arrested a Grand Island man on July 24 after finding more than five pounds of suspected cocaine during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 near Elm Creek.

NSP spokesman Cody Thomas said around 11:05 a.m. on Friday, July 24, a trooper saw a Mercedes sedan following a semi-truck at an unsafe distance. The trooper pulled it over near mile marker 255 on I-80, near Elm Creek.

During the stop, the trooper smelled marijuana from inside the vehicle, leading to a search of the car. The search revealed about 5.6 pounds of suspected cocaine concealed in a backpack in the passenger area. The street value of that amount of cocaine is around $85,000, according to Zinnia Health.

Thomas said troopers also found 21 grams of marijuana as well as $1,880 in cash in the car.

The driver, Dairi Zuleta Anzora, 23, of Grand Island, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute, possession of money during a drug violation, and no drug tax stamp. He was taken to the Dawson County jail.

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