Maybe it absolutely, positively had to be there overnight but a Fed-exed shipment of marijuana has landed two area men in jail.

Thurman Harshbarger III, 31, of 64 Township Road 181, Ironton, and Charles Newcomb, 38, of 551 County Road 21, Ironton, were arrested Tuesday and charged with possession of drugs and trafficking in drugs.

They were taken to the Lawrence County Jail.

Dave Marcum, investigator for the Lawrence County Drug and Major Crimes Task Force, said local authorities were contacted recently by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification and advised a parcel being shipped to the area by Federal Express was thought to contain illegal drugs.

“They told us of the location where the box was to be delivered and we set up surveillance,” Marcum said. “After the package was delivered two people drove by, took the package and put it in their car. We then made a traffic stop. After the stop the package was found to be 11 pounds of marijuana shipped from Texas.”

Marcum said depending on the quality, marijuana can have a street value of more than $1,000 per pound.

The investigation into the illegal shipment continues. Both Harshbarger and Newcomb are scheduled to be arraigned today in Ironton Municipal Court.