OSP stops Lake Co. speeder; pot found in gun safe

An Oregon State Police traffic stop Thursday afternoon along Highway 140W near Lakeview led to the arrest of a Portland man after the trooper found about 117 pounds of marijuana hidden in a gun safe in his SUV, troopers said.

Shortly before 1 p.m., the OSP trooper pulled over a rented 2013 Ford Explorer displaying Idaho license plates and heading east on Highway 140W near milepost 95 for a speed violation approaching the city of Lakeview.

During the stop, the trooper identified the driver as Paul William Houfek, 31, from southeast Portland, troopers said.

An OSP drug-detection dog helped turn up the marijuana in 94 individually sealed packages. They were concealed inside a large gun safe carried in the back of the SUV.

Troopers estimated the value of the seized marijuana at about $290,000.

Houfek was arrested and lodged in the Lake County Jail on drug possession, manufacture and distribution charges.