Oregon police find drugs stitched into footballs

BEAVERTON, Ore., Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Police in Oregon said an investigation into suspected credit card fraud led to two suspects who were actually concealing drugs inside of footballs.

The Beaverton Police Department said officers opened up an investigation Wednesday when suspicious activity was reported at the Pepper Tree Motel in the city.

Police said witnesses reported two men were loading large amounts of items from a motel room into a vehicle.

Officers conducted a traffic stop, suspecting the men might be involved in credit card fraud, but an investigation of the items in the car revealed the men "were actually involved in the drug trade."

"After searching the vehicle, over 25 pounds of drugs, money and a loaded hand gun were found," police said in a Facebook post. "There was 4.5 pounds of marijuana, 16.5 pound of marijuana laced edibles, 108 packages of marijuana laced cool-aid mix, over 3.5 ounces of heroin, an ounce of meth and an ounce of cocaine. Some of the drugs were located inside of footballs that had been re-stitched closed."

Markice Terrell Hall, 40, and Aaron Hibbler, 31, were arrested on felony and misdemeanor drug charges.