Troopers make large marijuana bust on Interstate 70 in Cooper County

Two women from Illinois face new drug-trafficking charges after troopers with the highway patrol made a large marijuana bust in mid-Missouri.

Melody J. Kostansek, 45, of Ozark, Illinois, and Melissa G. Johnson, 42, Carbondale, Illinois, were arrested around 12:40 a.m. Monday after a traffic stop on Interstate 70 near mile marker 97 in Cooper County.

According to court documents obtained by ABC 17 News, the stop started after Kostansek drove a Toyota van off the right side of the interstate onto the shoulder of the road.

Troopers said the odor of raw marijuana could be smelled coming from the van while they spoke with Kostansek and Johnson, who was a passenger.

Both are accused of having more than 51 pounds of marijuana, nearly a half-ounce of meth, marijuana wax and several smoking pipes inside their van.

Kostansek and Johson are charged with two counts of felony delivery of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hearings were scheduled for both in Cooper County at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.