TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Less than month since Uber launched its ride-share service in Tuscaloosa, police have charged one driver with possession of marijuana and issued several citations to other drivers for violating the city's taxicab ordinance.

Tuscaloosa police charged an Uber driver last week with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police also issued the driver, Brandon Devante Oliver, 21, of Tuscaloosa, citations for driving on a suspended license, violation of the open beverage law, not having a tag light, operating a vehicle for hire without a business license, not having a chauffeur permit, and operating a vehicle for hire without proper insurance.

The arrest was part of an undercover operation by the Tuscaloosa Police Department, which released a statement earlier this month saying that, according to the city's taxicab ordinance, "all drivers and companies that are involved in a taxi service or ride sharing program" must have a business license, a chauffeur license, a background check and vehicle inspection.

An undercover officer who used the Uber mobile app service rode with Oliver and said he smelled marijuana in the vehicle, according to a news release.

Officers later stopped the driver and said they found "a bottle of vodka that the driver had been mixing with a drink while driving and almost one-fourth pound of marijuana with baggies for distribution."

Oliver and the passenger at the time were arrested. The passenger, Wykey Montez Guyton, 21, of Tuscaloosa, was also charged with possession of marijuana.

During the undercover operation, officers rode with eight different Uber drivers and issued several other citations.

A 50-year-old female driver from Columbus, Miss., was given a warning citation and then picked up another officer less than an hour later, according to the news release.

She was issued city citations for operating a vehicle for hire without a business license, not having a vehicle for hire inspection, not having a chauffeur permit, and operating a vehicle for hire without proper insurance.

Six other drivers were all issued warnings citations for operating a vehicle for hire without a business license, not having a vehicle for hire inspection, not having a chauffeur permit, and operating a vehicle for hire without proper insurance.

The Tuscaloosa Police Department said it will continue to do these operations until the drivers comply with the city requirements for taxi services.

"We have been very lenient in the recent weeks making sure that everyone was aware of the requirements," the news release reads. "In future operations officers will not be issuing warning citations and will be issuing criminal city citations to drivers who do not comply with city regulations."