Defendant appeals his convictions on two counts of possession of a controlled substance. ORS 475.992(4). He contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence seized as a result of warrantless searches of his vehicle and its contents. We affirm.

An undercover deputy sheriff bought drugs from Metzker, the owner of a truck rental agency in Albany. Metzker told the deputy that he was expecting a shipment of cocaine from Eugene that day. He intended to sell some of it to the deputy. Later, deputies obtained a warrant to search Metzker’s office for controlled substances. The warrant was executed about 11:30 a.m. During the search, deputies found cocaine behind Metzker’s desk. The deputies remained on the premises. Detective Parrott, who was in charge, answered all incoming phone calls.

Early in the afternoon, a man phoned and asked for Metzker. Parrott told him that Metzker was unavailable.1 The same man called again about 4 p.m., identifying himself as “Kirk.” Parrott told him that Metzker could not come to the phone. The man said that he had something for Metzker. Parrott told him again that Metzker could not come to the phone. The man said that he had some “stuff’ for Metzker, and he asked if Metzker had any “stuff’ for him. Parrot testified that, in the drug world, the word “stuff’ is used to indicate a controlled substance. Parrott answered affirmatively. The man said that he would be right over. Forty-five minutes later, defendant arrived at Metzker’s office in a van. Parrott approached the van. He identified himself and asked defendant for identification. Defendant’s proffered identification showed that his name was “Kirk.” Parrott advised him of his Miranda rights. Defendant agreed to talk but gave no indication that he was the man with whom Parrott had spoken on the phone. He explained that he was there to sweep Metzker’s chimney. That was his trade, and his van contained tools for that purpose. There was only a woodstove inside Metzker’s office with a stovepipe venting outside.

Defendant remained in his van. He refused Parrott’s *324request for consent to search it. Parrott told defendant that he had probable cause to believe that defendant was delivering a controlled substance and that he was going to search the van. He ordered defendant out of the van. Deputy Holm frisked him for weapons. He found a small wooden object in defendant’s pocket that he could not identify. He returned it to defendant.

Deputy Severns found a briefcase in the van. On opening it, he discovered a plastic baggie containing more than an ounce of marijuana. Defendant was then formally arrested. As he took his hand from his pocket, the small wooden object Holm had discovered earlier fell to the ground. Holm retrieved it. It was later, found to contain cocaine. That night, Parrott searched the briefcase thoroughly. He found several small containers in it containing cocaine.

Defendant argues first that the deputies lacked probable cause to search his van.2 Next, he argues that, even if they had probable cause to search his van, the warrantless search of his briefcase was unlawful.3 He relies on both the state and federal constitutions. The trial court found there was probable cause and exigent circumstances to search the van and that the search of the briefcase was “permissible.”4

*325We address defendant’s state constitutional arguments first. See State v. Kennedy, 295 Or 260, 666 P2d 1316 (1983). In State v. Flores, 68 Or App 617, 635, 685 P2d 999, rev den 298 Or 151 (1984), we held that

“[s]earches incident to arrest are the primary justification for warrantless searches of the person. If the officer is without probable cause to arrest a person, the officer is without probable cause to search him, for a search of the person necessarily implies an arrest.”

Flores involved the search of the defendant’s automobile and his person. See also State v. Krogness, 238 Or 135, 388 P2d 120, cert den 377 US 992 (1964).

It is apparent that automobile searches will often occur in the context of an arrest. We have analyzed automobile searches under the probable cause, exigent circumstances and incident-to-arrest criteria in two cases since Flores. See State v. Brody, 69 Or App 469, 686 P2d 451 (1984); State v. Kirsch, 69 Or App 418, 686 P2d 446, rev den 298 Or 151 (1984). In each case we held that the fact that the defendant was under arrest and that the police were in control of the situation meant that there was no exigency that justified searching without a warrant, even though there may have been probable cause for the search. However, in each case we upheld the search as incident to the defendant’s arrest. Thus it appears that the latter analysis will normally be the appropriate one for a search of an occupied automobile. See ORS 133.005(1); State v. Caraher, 293 Or 741, 653 P2d 942 (1982); State v. Krogness, supra; State v. Chinn, 231 Or 259, 373 P2d 392 (1962); State v. Flores, supra. Here, the information supporting a belief that there was contraband in the van necessarily supported a belief that defendant possessed it. His detention during the search was in fact an arrest, although he was not formally arrested until later.5 The question then is *326whether the search of defendant’s van was permissible incident to his arrest.

We agree with the trial court’s conclusion that the totality of the circumstances described in our statement of the facts gave Parrott a substantial objective basis for believing that, more likely than not, an offense had been committed and that defendant had committed it. ORS 131.005(11). Parrott therefore had authority to arrest defendant. ORS 133.310(l)(a).

A search incident to arrest must be related to the crime for which the defendant was arrested and must be reasonable in time, scope and intensity. State v. Caraher, supra; State v. Chinn, supra; State v. Flores, supra. Defendant was under arrest for a crime of possession. The basis for that arrest was Parrott’s reasonable belief that defendant was transporting contraband in his van. That is different from the situation in State v. Flores, supra, where the officer found marijuana on the person of a driver stopped for an unrelated reason and did not search the entire passenger compartment of the automobile until after he had found additional contraband near the driver’s seat. Here, Parrott believed that defendant was a drug courier making a delivery. Under the circumstances, a full search of the van for contraband was related to the crime for which he was arrested and was reasonable in time, scope and intensity. That the deputies opened closed containers in the course of their search does not affect the legality of their actions if it was reasonable to believe that contraband might be found in the containers and if the other Chinn/Caraher criteria were met.6 Here, what the *327deputies were searching for would most likely be found in a closed container. It was reasonable for them to look where they did and to open the closed containers. We conclude that the searches of defendant’s briefcase and closed containers were permissible as incident to a lawful arrest.7 The searches violated neither the Oregon Constitution nor the United States Constitution. United States v. Ross, supra n 6; 456 US 798, 102 S Ct 2157, 72 L Ed 2d 572 (1982); New York v. Belton, supra n 6; State v. Caraher, supra.8 The trial court did not err in denying defendant’s motion to suppress.

Defendant also appeals the trial court’s order forfeiting his vehicle to the state. See ORS 167.247(2). The forfeiture was lawful.

Affirmed.

dissenting.

For the reasons expressed in my dissents in State v. Kirsch, 69 Or App 418, 424, 686 P2d 446, rev den 298 Or 151 (1984); State v. Flores, 68 Or App 617, 640, 685 P2d 999, rev den 298 Or 151 (1984); and State v. Fesler, 68 Or App 609, 614, 685 P2d 1014, rev den 297 Or 547 (1984), I dissent.