Police arrested a St. Croix man late Wednesday night after seizing thousands of dollars in cash and a stash of marijuana during a traffic stop along the Queen Mary Highway.

Virgin Islands Police Department spokeswoman Melody Rames said Vayron Cole, 36, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute after the contraband and money were found during a search of his vehicle.

Police from the Wilbur Francis Command in Frederiksted on routine patrol saw the vehicle pass another on a double yellow line and made the traffic stop. Police saw marijuana in plain view in the vehicle, Rames said. Cole was placed under arrest and his vehicle was searched. More marijuana and nearly $20,000 in cash was discovered in the vehicle, Rames said.

Rames did not know how much marijuana was found or its estimated street value.

Cole was arrested in 2008 when the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force discovered a marijuana-growing operation at Cole's Estate White Lady residence. A subsequent search warrant netted a loaded fire arm and additional marijuana. Cole pleaded guilty to those charges and is currently on federal probation.

He now faces new charges stemming from this arrest including violations of his probation conditions. The Criminal Investigation Bureau detectives and the HIDTA task force are following up on this case, Rames said.Β 

According to Rames, the nearly $20,000 in cash will be turned over to HIDTA for forfeiture proceedings.

Cole's arrest comes a day after law enforcement teams on St. Croix found two marijuana-growing operations at the Estate Rattan home of Mitchell Matthew.

- Contact reporter Corliss Smithen at 774-8772 ext 302 or e-mail csmithen@dailynews.vi.