The Indiana State Police seized a half tonne of marijuana worth  eight million dollars after an alert patrol dog picked up the drug’s scent during a traffic stop.

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a trooper searched a van after stopping it for a moving violation outside Lowell, in northwest Indiana.

“During that search, troopers discovered 38 large boxes and six black garbage bags.

“The boxes are wrapped in black plastic wrap. Inside the boxes contained a total of 1,264 individually sealed bags, each weighing approximately 1.5 lbs (about 680g, and contained a green plant material. A field test of the content revealed it to be marijuana.’’

The driver, 31-year-old Christopher Colburn, was arrested at the scene.

A photo of the seizure showed a white van filled with black garbage bags.

Colburn has been preliminarily charged with dealing on marijuana-level five felony and possession of marijuana with prior conviction-level six felony.