Police: 2 California men stopped in Alexandria had almost 100 pounds of marijuana

Two California men were stopped on Interstate 49 near Alexandria Tuesday night with almost 100 pounds of marijuana in their car, according to the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office.

The men were stopped around 10 p.m. near Airbase Road in Alexandria by Rapides Area Drug Enforcement deputies for unspecified traffic violations, reads a news release.

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Both are from Santa Maria, in the central coastal region.

The driver reportedly did not have a license.

"As the deputies were speaking with the two individuals, they could smell the strong odor of what they believed to be marijuana coming from the vehicle," it reads.

The unit's K-9, Izzy, was brought in and alerted on the vehicle. After a search, five cardboard boxes containing about 98 pounds of marijuana were found, it reads. 

Both were arrested and booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center #1 early on Wednesday morning. Both remain in jail as of Wednesday night, with bails set at $50,000.

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The men were arrested on a charge of distribution of marijuana more than 2.5 pounds.

The driver also was charged with improper lane usage, improper display of a license plate and not having a driver's license. His bail was set at $50,300.

The passenger's bail was set at $50,000.