TWO ARRESTED FOR TRAFFICKING POT

TWO SARASOTA MEN ARE BEHIND BARS AFTER A TRAFFIC STOP ON THE INTERSTATE MONDAY NIGHT.  SARASOTA COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY THEY PULLED OVER 29 YEAR OLD LASHAUN SMITH JUST SOUTH OF THE UNIVERSITY PARKWAY EXIT AND A CANINE ALERTED DEPUTIES TO A HIT ON HIS VEHICLE.  A SEARCH LOCATED SEVEN BUNDLES OF WHAT WAS DETERMINED TO BE MARIJUANA WEIGHING A TOTAL OF 175 POUNDS.  THE ESTIMATED STREET VALUE OF THE POT WAS AT LEAST $175,000.  A SECOND VEHICLE WHICH HAD BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSELY BEHIND SMITH WAS STOPPED ON LOCKWOOD RIDGE ROAD IN MANATEE COUNTY.  44 YEAR OLD HARVEY BASS WAS PICKED UP THERE AND CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING AND POSSESSION OF LESS THAN 20 GRAMS OF MARIJUANA.  HE IS BEING HELD IN THE MANATEE COUNTY JAIL.  SMITH WAS ALSO CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING IN MARIJUANA.  HE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND IN THE SARASOTA COUNTY JAIL PENDING AN APRIL 1^ST ARRAIGNMENT HEARING.