Three people were arrested Thursday by Marion police officers at 404 W. Santa Fe Street, Marion, on suspicion of narcotic possession with intent to sell.

At least 4.5 pounds of marijuana were confiscated.

The arrests occurred at 8:45 p.m. when Officer Josh Bryant was checking an area in Marion as part of an Amber Alert for a missing Lehigh girl. Bryant smelled the odor of “raw” marijuana. (Raw marijuana is the plant before or while it is being processed.) A search warrant was obtained and the arrests were made.

Marion Police Chief Josh Whitwell is pleased with the arrest.

“These people were obviously distributing the drug,” Whitwell said, noting there was a great deal of marijuana and baggies in the residence.

He said there are so many victims of drug crimes and he wants to get as many dealers as he can off the streets.

“There are the users, the children of addicts, and the victims of burglaries and thefts when users have to steal to support their habits,” Whitwell said.

The plants will be sent to Kansas Bureau of Investigation and will be officially weighed. The wholesale street value of marijuana is approximately $400 per pound, Whitwell said.

“We want people to know that we’re going after drug dealers,” he said. “We won’t give in to them without a fight.”