ISP: Texas man arrested after traffic stop uncovers 500 grams of Kratom

MARION, Ind. — A resident of a Houston suburb was arrested in Marion on Saturday afternoon after Indiana State Police officials found around 500 grams of suspected Kratom in his car.

According to a news release from the Indiana State Police,35-year-old Reuben Powell, a Channelview, Texas resident, was arrested on the following preliminary charges:

• One count of dealing in a controlled substance, a Level 2 felony
• Misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance

An Indiana State Police trooper conducted a traffic stop on a 2004 Chevrolet Impala around 3 p.m. on Saturday in the 200 block of Tippy Drive in Marion.

The release said that during the stop, the trooper saw indicators of potential criminal activity and asked for assistance from a K-9 unit. The unit eventually alerted to the presence of narcotics.

When police searched the vehicle, they reportedly found around 500 grams of suspected Kratom. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Kratom is an herbal substance that can produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects. In the state of Indiana, Kratom is considered a controlled substance.

The release said that Powell was taken into custody and was transported to the Grant County Jail. The substance will be sent to the Indiana State Police Laboratory for an exact determination of substance and weight.

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