NORTHAMPTON — A Vermont man was arrested Wednesday night on charges related to heroin trafficking after authorities uncovered some 2,075 baggies of heroin — worth up to $20,750 — in his vehicle, State Police said.

Stuart J. Sweetser, 50, of Springfield, Vermont, pleaded not guilty in Northampton District Court on Thursday to operating while under the influence of drugs, operating without a license, violating marked lanes and trafficking heroin. He remains at the Hampshire County Jail on $20,000 cash bail, according to court officials.

Two state troopers stopped Sweetser after a witness reported a “highly erratic” driver traveling north on Interstate 91 near Exit 17, according to police, who said he was swerving back and forth.

Sweetser did not have his identification on him, so he gave the information verbally to the troopers. In doing so, the troopers noted his speech was “incredibly slurred” and he paused between responses, according to the report. 

Sweetser also failed field sobriety tests, police said.

One of the troopers asked if there were any drugs or weapons in the vehicle, police said. Sweetser replied there were none.

Then, one trooper, who was standing at the passenger-side door, spotted a knife tucked between the passenger seat and center console. Also on the passenger seat were four cardboard boxes, concealed by a sweatshirt, police said.

And inside the boxes police found roughly 2,000 baggies of heroin, according to the report, stamped “COBRA.”

When the troopers searched Sweetser as he stood handcuffed outside they car, they uncovered an additional 75 baggies of the drug, according to the report.

Altogether, police said they seized about 62 grams, or more than 2 ounces.

Sweetser told authorities had used the drug “occasionally,” but had not used that day, police said.

Sweetser told the troopers he obtained the 75 baggies of heroin, found in his wallet, in Springfield, Vermont. The remaining 2,000 baggies, he told police, came from Connecticut and he had been asked to deliver them to a friend. He did not give police any other details.

Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com or 413-585-5234.