PARSHALL — The MHA Nation Division of Drug Enforcement has announced the arrest of two individuals following a traffic stop on N.D. Highway 37 on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

According to information from the Division of Drug Enforcement (DDE), a traffic stop was initiated about 12:30 p.m. on a white Ford F-150 near the intersection of Highway 37 and 31st Street Northwest, south of Parshall. The driver of the Ford was not identified in the information but was determined to be an enrolled tribal member. The passenger was identified as a non-enrolled member.

MHA Division of Drug Enforcement deployed certified narcotics K9 Metin to conduct a free-air sniff of the vehicle’s exterior, and gave a positive alert at the driver’s door, providing probable cause to search the vehicle.

During a search of the driver’s area, agents located a folded piece of foil with a white powder and crystalline substance suspected to be narcotics, as well as a plastic container in the center console holding multiple individual foil packets containing a similar white powder. A glass pipe and a crystal shard believed to be methamphetamine were found near the passenger seat.

According to the information, the white powder seized was presumptively analyzed and tested positive for fentanyl and methamphetamine.

The non-enrolled member passenger was placed under arrest for state drug charges, and the enrolled member driver was placed under arrest and transported to the Gerald Tex Fox Justice Center in New Town where they were booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

The case remains under investigation by the MHA Division of Drug Enforcement.