A Tuscarora man has been charged with possessing more than 120 bags of drugs following a traffic stop in Lehighton.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Lehighton Borough Police Department in the case against Michael Wensel:

At 11:35 p.m. Sept. 21, a dark-colored Sedan traveling northbound on North Ninth Street was determined to have a driver side registration light which did not work.

The sedan was pulled over on Coal Street and Wensel, 47, acknowledged that he was aware the registration light was not properly working, and said that he did not possess a valid license, which was DUI suspended.

Police said Wensel showed signs of impairment when he was pulled over.

When asked to step out of the car, white glassine bags commonly used to store and/or package narcotics were found on the floor of the driver seating area, police said.

After roadside sobriety testing, Wensel was taken into custody and searched, which resulted in finding a black cloth pouch in his pocket which possessed a large quantity of glassine bags commonly used to store narcotics such as heroin and/or fentanyl.

Wensel refused to submit a blood test. Both he and his passenger (the vehicle owner) declined a search of the vehicle.

At the police station, Wensel told police that the narcotics found on his person and in the car all belonged to him for personal use.

The black cloth pouch was determined to possess a hypodermic needle as well as one milligram of Alprazolam, and there were more than 120 glassine bags, all of which possessed light in color substance consistent with that of heroin and/or fentanyl, according to police.

Wensel has at least three prior convictions of driving with a suspended driver’s license (DUI related), according to police.

Wensel faces charges on two counts of intentional possession of controlled substance by person not registered, and one count each of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; use/possession of drug paraphernalia; DUI: Controlled substance; driver’s license suspended/revoked; and no rear lights.

Wensel is in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $20,000 straight bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Oct. 4 before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz of Jim Thorpe.