Police: Woman Found with 92 Pounds of Marijuana in N. Bellmore

A traffic stop led to the discovery of 92 pounds of marijuana and the arrest of a Bellport woman in North Bellmore Saturday night.

According to detectives, around 6 p.m., an unmarked First Precinct police car  observed Mizzie Artis, 27, of Bellport, operating a 1999 Hyundai eastbound on Columbus Avenue while talking on a cell phone and not wearing a seat belt.

Police then observed Artis drive to Armand Street where she met with a male subject in a minivan. As officers drove by both vehicles to further observe, the male subject fled the scene in the van, police said.

Artis drove away and failed to stop at a stop sign and did not signal when turning, police said. Officers stopped Artis and, upon approaching the car, observed two large cardboard boxes in the auto. Officers also detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle.

K-9 officers responded to the scene and performed a narcotic search of the vehicle. The cardboard boxes in the front seat had a positive alert for narcotics, police said. Two additional boxes were recovered from the trunk containing marijuana, bringing the total approximate weight to 92 pounds.

Artis is being charged with criminal possession of marijuana in the first degree and several vehicle and traffic law infractions. She will be arraigned on Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead.