Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine said his department’s seizure this week of more than 150 pounds of marijuana plus cash and weapons illustrates a connection between marijuana trafficking and violent crime.

According to information released Wednesday, the department’s narcotics unit executed a search warrant Tuesday in the 2100 block of North Gimon Circle, an area off Dauphin Island Parkway north of I-10.

Officers seized 154 pounds of marijuana with an estimated value exceeding $250,000. Additionally, four weapons and a vehicle were confiscated.

Eight people were arrested, and six of them were charged with trafficking marijuana: Deros Jervontaye McGrew, 28; Deandre Ladarius Belford, 25; Corey Marlon Thomas, 30; Jeremy Dacarlos Overton, 30; Reginald Lamar Boxley, 29; and Isiah Jawaun Crear, 34. Andrell Vashona Henley, 23, and Miles Treyhann Pettaway, 38, were charged with first-degree possession of marijuana. Crear and Overton had outstanding warrants on other charges.

In a brief Wednesday afternoon press conference, Chief Prine said the firearm confiscations served as proof that, in his experience, “weed, guns and money” go hand in hand with violent crime.

“If I may take a little liberty, you know, a lot of people say, well marijuana is a nonoffensive drug, or nonintrusive drug, it’s a nonviolent drug,” he said.

“But if you’ll take a look, once again it always presents itself in a violent manner. This contraband was set to go to the streets of Mobile. Ultimately a lot of it, probably, in the hands of children.”

Prine moved to a table where four handguns and two larger military-style weapons resembling shortened rifles or machine pistols sat amid bags of marijuana.

“This is the type of garbage that comes with it,” said Prine, picking up the two larger weapons. “This is the type of garbage that ends up on our streets, that lends itself to the very violence we see, especially with our youth.”

Prine said the investigation had taken two or three months and had dealt “a significant blow to this particular crime organization in the DIP area.”

He said “there is a bigger investigation” that could lead to federal charges.