LISBON - A California couple was arrested Monday night on drug trafficking charges at an Elkrun Township campground after fellow campers called police about marijuana being smoked.

Charged with felony drug trafficking are James Valdez, 44, and Michelle Smith, 31, both of Placerville, Calif., who appeared Tuesday in Columbiana County Municipal Court. They currently are being held in the county jail on $100,000 bond, with a preliminary court hearing scheduled for May 21.

Valdez and Smith were at Lock 30 Campground off Middle Beaver Road on Monday evening when fellow campers smelled marijuana and witnessed marijuana being smoked, prompting them to call police at 11:23 p.m.

St. Clair Township Police Officer Troy Walker, who is also an agent with the county Drug Task Force, responded and was met by Valdez, who gave him permission to have someone search his 1998 Nomad travel trailer. An agent from the local U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency arrived with Dino, a drug-sniffing dog, to conduct the search.

The dog hit on a safe that Valdez said he uses to store his marijuana when at home. The dog also hit on several other areas in the travel trailer.

According to the DEA, the search resulted in the seizure of more than two kilograms of marijuana, a semi-automatic handgun, a large amount of cash, drug packaging material, drug ledgers, a digital scale and drug paraphernalia. The two also had several motor vehicles in their possession.

Assisting in the bust, besides St. Clair Township, were officers from the county sheriff's office, the county Drug Task Force, the East Liverpool Police Department and agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

tgiambroni@mojonews.com