-from courant.com-

By Christine Dempsey

VERNON - A routine traffic stop Monday night turned into a drug bust, police say, when officers found a pound of marijuana in the trunk of a car.

The arrest happened at about 8 p.m., police said, when Officer Christopher Pryputniewicz stopped a car with a defective brake light on West Main Street in the Rockville section of town. Pryputniewicz noticed that the occupants were “unusually nervous,” a police press release says.

A police dog arrived and alerted to the presence of drugs. Officers searched and found a small amount – 33 grams or slightly more than an ounce – of marijuana in the center console, police said. Marijuana residue was scattered throughout the Toyota Corolla.

When officers searched the trunk, they found a backpack with about a pound of marijuana in it, police said. They also found drug paraphernalia, including a scale and packaging materials, plus about $667 in cash, police said.

The driver and admitted owner of the backpack, Ramon Ruiz Jr. 30, of High Path Road in Windsor, was charged with possession of more than four ounces of marijuana, possession with intent to sell, possession of paraphernalia and operating a drug factory. He was in custody at the police department on $75,000 bail and is expected to appear in Superior Court in Rockville today.

The other two occupants, Francisco Ruiz, 29, of High Street, Rockville and Jose Ruiz, 22, of Union Street, Rockville, each was charged with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana. Each posted $1,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court June 10.