Columbus police arrested a local man on seven felony drug charges after stopping the vehicle he was riding in.
Officers stopped the vehicle in the 1500 block of Union Street for a minor violation at 9:35 p.m. Sunday, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
While speaking with the occupants of the vehicle, officers smelled burned marijuana, Harris said. A short time later, during a search, officers found cocaine inside the vehicle.
Officers also located narcotics inside the clothing of Matthew G. Ratliff, 37, of 5162 N. Lincoln Village Drive, who was a passenger in the vehicle, Harris said.
Ratliff also had drug paraphernalia including a digital scale, multiple cell phones and a large amount of currency, Harris said.
Ratliff was arrested on preliminary felony charges of:
- Dealing in heroin
- Dealing in methamphetamine
- Dealing in cocaine
- Possession of methamphetamine
- Possession of cocaine
- Trafficking with an inmate
Ratliff was being held in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $627,500 bond, jail officials said.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
