Video shows Packers player caught with drugs during traffic stop

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RACINE COUNTY (CBS 58) – Newly released police bodycam video shows a Packers player being caught with drugs during a traffic stop.

It happened Sept. 29 on I-94 in Racine County.

According to the Racine County Sheriff’s office, a deputy clocked Za’Darius Smith going 81 MPH in a 60 MPH zone.

Smith told the deputy he and teammates Rashan Gary and Kingsley Keke were coming back from a night of partying in Chicago.

The deputy quickly smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle, and asked Smith to step out.

“How much weed you got in here?” asked the deputy. “No, we had smoked earlier,” Smith can be heard saying.

The players said they smoked it an hour and a half earlier, but deputies weren’t convinced. “What’s this weed right here on your leg then? Right there, look at that, that’s weed right there,” a deputy can be heard saying.

At one point, a deputy thought one of the men was trying to stuff something into a bag.  “What are you doing with your other hand now?  Keep your hand up here,” he said.

The players were taken out of the car, and that’s when they told deputies who they were.

“We play for the Packers sir, we’re just coming back from Chicago,” said Smith.

Smith repeatedly denied there were drugs in the truck. “So there’s nothing in there right?” asked the deputy.  “No, no, no, no, nothing in there,” replied Smith.

But a search of the vehicle turned up 4.6 grams of marijuana and a vaping cartridge with THC.

“What are we going to do?” one deputy asked the other after he found the marijuana.

That’s when another deputy took out his phone, and turned off his mic. When it came back on, they asked Smith about the drugs.  The following exchange happened:

Deputy: "So is that weed yours then?"

Smith: "What weed?"

Deputy: "There was three blunts we found in there."

Smith: "Three blunts?"

Deputy: "Here’s the deal, we just need to figure out who it is, 'cause you’re just going to get an ordinance ticket and then you’re going to be on your way."

Smith: "I’ll put it on me."

Smith took the blame and was given a citation for speeding and for the marijuana, and was let go.

After Sunday’s game in L.A., Smith talked about the incident.  “To everybody who’s watching man, to all my fans, that’s not me, I’m not that guy, I just want to apologize to everybody,” said Smith.

Smith says he got a lawyer.

The Packers released the following statement:

“The Packers are aware of the matter involving Za’Darius Smith. We will refrain from making any further comment as it is a legal matter.”
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