Large marijuana bust at La Grange Family Dollar

According to a press release from the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office, two La Grange women have been charged with trafficking marijuana.

On Saturday the LCSO, along with the LaGrange Police Department and Kinston Department of Public Safety located approximately 23 pounds of marijuana at the Family Dollar Store in La Grange.

The business is located on East Washington Street. The store was temporally closed until management for Family Dollar could arrive to assume control of the store.

The LCSO, along with members of the Greenville Drug Task Force and Jones County Sheriff's Office received information earlier in the week that two packages containing a large amount of marijuana were to be delivered to the business.

Two employees of Family Dollar, Melissa Collie, 40, and store manager Belinda Sutton Pearson, 46, both of LaGrange, were charged with trafficking marijuana and held under a $ 30,000 bond.

Both women are currently out on bond. Each are scheduled for a first appearance in Lenoir County District Court on March 15.

"The entire investigation lasted one week," said Maj. Chris Hill of the LCSO. "The marijuana has a street value of approximately $35,000."

"It was about the only thing in the store you couldn't buy for $1," Hill said.