Ferriday — Running from police officers is usually suspicious enough, but running carrying three cereal boxes would raise the suspicion of even the most jaded police officer.

The strange scene played out this week in Ferriday when a traffic stop led to a chase that ended with a man arrested after drugs were found in the cereal boxes he dropped during the chase.

Ferriday Police Sgt. John Smith pulled over Kelvin Maricell Tolbert Sr., 25, on Louisiana Avenue Wednesday after Tolbert was attempting to pass other cars in the shoulder of the road, Ferriday Police Department Interim Police Chief Derrick Freeman said.

Freeman said Tolbert took off running shortly after Smith made the traffic stop.

“When he took off running, Sgt. Smith noticed he had cereal boxes under his arms,” Freeman said. “Sgt. Smith ran after Tolbert and eventually (Tolbert) dropped the boxes on the ground before getting away.”

Inside the three cereal boxes were 220 different packages of synthetic marijuana totaling 1,100 grams along with 1.2 ounces of cocaine, Freeman said.

After discovering that Tolbert lived in Natchez, Freeman said FPD officers teamed up with the Concordia Parish Narcotics Task Force and Adams County Metro Narcotics to arrest Tolbert at his Providence Road house.

Tolbert was arrested and charged by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office with possession of schedule I substance (synthetic marijuana) and simple assault (domestic violence).

Freeman said FPD has issued warrants on Tolbert for possession with intent to distribute of schedule I and II substance for the narcotics the interim chief said Tolbert had transported from Texas.