Three people are in custody and face felony charges in connection with a large drug bust which likely wouldn't have been possible had a WYDOT snowplow driver not stumbled upon a large amount of cash.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeremy Beck said in a statement Friday that the snowplow driver had been treating a road surface when his vehicle struck a black pelican case.

The case turned out to be "full of cash," per Beck's statement. The driver picked up the case and its contents, then turned them over to state troopers.

Meanwhile, another maintenance unit was contacted by three people in a small Toyota passenger car. The trio inquired about the pelican case, which had flown out of their car carrier. They were directed to the local patrol office in Elk Mountain.

When they arrived, troopers noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the Toyota. A drug dog alerted to the presence of controlled substances.

A search of the car allegedly turned up 81 pounds of marijuana, felony quantities of MDMA, a misdemeanor amount of hallucinogenic mushrooms and felony amounts of liquid THC.

The three in the Toyota were arrested and now face felony charges.

The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the Wyoming Highway Patrol continue to investigate.

Beck's statement did not indicate where the snowplow driver found the money.

The three who were arrested were not identified in the statement. The charges against them were not specified, and the statement did not indicate where those charges were filed.

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