Suspicious package leads to arrest of Howardville man

Keith Word

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — A Howardville, Mo. man was arrested Friday afternoon after the Poplar Bluff Police Department was alerted of a suspicious package coming through the post office.

Lieutenant Josh Stewart said he received a call from a postman about a package addressed to a subject residing in the city of Poplar Bluff. The package contained approximately 7.5 pounds of high grade marijuana.

“As soon as we looked over the package, the odor was obvious,” Stewart said.

A search warrant was sought and obtained to open the package upon it being claimed.

With the package being too large to deliver to the address, investigators conducted surveillance around the post office based on time the package notice would be delivered.

Keith Word, 25, was placed into restraints after allegedly arriving for the package and the search warrant was executed.

He was arrested after the 7.5 pounds of marijuana, with an approximate street value of $65,000, was found inside the package, Stewart said.

“It worked great,” Stewart said. “There were no injuries and he did not resist and cooperated. Everything went smooth.”

Word was lodged at the Butler County Jail, pending the filing of formal possession of marijuana with intent to distribute charges.