Three U.S. soldiers busted with 680 pounds of pot in Arizona

Three uniformed American soldiers have been arrested north of Phoenix for possession of 680 pounds of marijuana and over $10,000 in cash.

According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, the vehicle in which the three men were riding was pulled over during a routine traffic stop Tuesday evening. The Sheriff’s Department was in the area conducting one of their controversial crime sweeps, which began on Monday. All three of the men, arrested wearing military uniforms, are reported to have served in Afghanistan. Each were also carrying valid military identification at the time of their arrests. Their vehicle was pulled over for speeding on Interstate 17 near the town of Anthem, north of Phoenix. The men, Dwayne Campbell, Romaine May and Llewellyn Stamoulis, were all charged with suspicion of possessing Marijuana, conspiracy, money laundering, and illegal transportation of a controlled substance. The driver of the vehicle was also charged with driving on a suspended license. The arrest comes at an opportune time for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his department, who have faced criticism accusing the sheriff and his officers of using the crime sweeps as an excuse to target illegal aliens, in violation of federal law prohibiting the practice.