NATCHEZ &8212; The Natchez-Adams County Metro Narcotics Unit seized about 8.5 pounds of marijuana Wednesday.

Deputy Frank Smith pulled over a car on a routine traffic stop. When he questioned the passengers, their stories didn&8217;t match, he said. After investigating, he found a compacted, wrapped block of marijuana in a backpack in the trunk.

Reynaldo F. Machado, 37, 186 Meadowood St., Nathan Gamboa, 20, 644 Crestwood Drive, and Gloria Ester Rodriguez, 46, 556 Alabama 43, all of Winfield, Ala., were arrested on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and booked into the Adams County Jail.

The 8.5 pounds of marijuana had a street value of roughly $26,600.

&8220;That was a substantial amount of marijuana,&8221; Smith said Thursday.

They were allegedly taking the marijuana from Houston to Alabama, he said.

Smith said rural routes are often as well-traveled by traffickers as interstates, if not more so.

&8220;If you had a lot of dope, would you want to go through the interstate where there might be more law enforcement?&8221; Smith said.

&8220;They think they have less of a chance of getting stopped in rural areas.&8221;