Three people arrested and over 100 pounds of marijuana seized at BNA

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Three people were arrested and over 100 pounds of marijuana were seized at Nashville International Airport (BNA) on Thursday.

According to the affidavit, Marquice Lester, 30, of Nashville, Tamia Sims-Irby, 20, of South Carolina, and Kamery Perkins, 20, of Mississippi, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent.

The affidavit states that K-9 Peggy was assigned to several baggage transports from Flight 3279 out of Sacramento, California, because the area is “known as a source for narcotics distribution” due to previous seizures at the BNA. During one transport, Peggy focused on four pieces of luggage with labels bearing the names Sims-Irby and Perkins.

According to the affidavit, plainclothes officers observed Perkin, Sims-Irby and Lester retrieving the bags, then stopped them and identified themselves as police officers.

Officials reported that the trio consented to a search during which 50 kilograms of marijuana were found in vacuum-sealed bags.

Interviewees with the suspects revealed that they had traveled to Sacramento to “obtain a large quantity of narcotics for resale and conspired to smuggle those narcotics into Tennessee,” the affidavit states.

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