(WHDH) — A man is facing criminal charges after a police K9 sniffed out more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop earlier this week, officials said.

Christopher S. Colburn, 31, of McKinleyville, California, was arrested Tuesday in Indiana on charges including dealing and possessing marijuana, according to Indiana State Police.

A trooper patrolling Interstate 65 around 11:15 a.m. stopped Colburn’s van following an alleged traffic violation. The K9 then alerted the trooper as it sniffed the exterior of the vehicle.

Indiana State Police

A subsequent search of the van is said to have yielded 38 large boxes wrapped in plastic and six black garbage bags full of marijuana.

Every box contained a total of 1,264 individually sealed bags that each weighed 1.5 pounds, according to police, and troopers seized 1,275 pounds of marijuana in total.

Troopers estimated that the haul has a street value of up to $8.5 million.

Colburn was booked into the Lake County Jail.

(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox