GREAT BEND – Law enforcement authorities in Barton County are investigating a teen suspect in  for allegedly selling drugs at school.

On April 8, officers with Great Bend Police participated in a drug sweep at the Great Bend High School.

This sweep, conducted with and at the request of the school administration, consisted of Drug Detecting Canine Teams working with school administrators to sniff for drugs in the school building and vehicles parked near the school.

Although officers did not locate any drugs inside any of the classrooms, Police Canine “Lazer” indicated that he smelled illegal substances inside a pickup truck parked in front of the school.

The Department’s other canine, “Kia” was taken near the vehicle and indicated that he also smelled illegal substances inside the vehicle.

Officers obtained a warrant to search the truck, and found several kinds of illegal drugs inside. Based on the quantity of drugs and the way they were packaged, officers believe that Iban Martinez, 18, the owner of the vehicle, was selling drugs to other students.

Martinez had already left campus by the time officers served the search warrant, but other officers who located him in town quickly took him into custody.

Mr. Martinez was turned over to the Barton County Jail and booked on charges of Distribution of an Illegal Substance within 1000’ of a School and Possession of an Illegal Substance without a Tax Stamp.

The Police Department does not typically release the name of school aged children who are arrested, but Martinez was eighteen years of age, and therefore legally an adult.