Columbus police arrested three people on drug-related charges after they were stopped for having a fake license plate on their vehicle.
Officers saw the vehicle and stopped it at 7:50 p.m. Tuesday near Seventh Street and Pleasant Grove, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
A police canine later alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle. Officers confirmed a warrant for a passenger, Zachariah B. Gruber, 35, Greenwood. When searching Gruber, officers found a syringe, heroin and drug paraphernalia, Harris said.
An arrest warrant was also confirmed for another passenger, Michael R. Hankins, 27, Columbus, Harris said. When searching Hankins, officers found a digital scale with methamphetamine residue, Harris said.
Another passenger, Breanna D. Meier, 25, Columbus, was arrested after officers found marijuana in her purse, Harris said. When she arrived at the Bartholomew County Jail, corrections staff located heroin and pills that she had attempted to conceal in her clothing, Harris said.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.