The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) intercepted a record-breaking amount of drugs and halted a major cargo theft attempt during two separate actions in Dawson County.
On September 14, NSP released information about “two high-profile criminal interdiction cases” involving semi trucks in Dawson County this month.
$50 Million In Drugs Seized From Semi Truck, Troopers Say
At 8 a.m. on September 4, an NSP trooper performed a traffic stop on a semi truck traveling on I-80 near mile marker 228 in Dawson County.
The trooper conducted a commercial vehicle inspection and “detected the odor of marijuana.”
NSP searched the semi’s trailer and located 27 pallets containing approximately 5,200 pounds of marijuana, 13,600 pounds of THC products, and 1,000 pounds of psilocybin products.
In total, troopers seized nearly 20,000 pounds of drugs with an estimated street value of $50 million.
NSP said that this is believed to be largest volume drug interdiction in agency history.
Virginia-based truck driver William Gomez, 44, was arrested and booked into the Dawson County Jail on charges of possession of controlled substances and possession with intent to deliver.
Non-Domiciled CDL Driver Hauling Stolen Electronic Equipment & Walmart Items: NSP
On September 9, NSP was alerted that a semi truck transporting professional speaker equipment, valued at $250,000, had been reported stolen and may be traveling in Nebraska.
At 5:30 p.m. on September 9, an NSP trooper located the semi truck at a truck stop near Gothenburg.
The driver of the truck was placed out-of-service after the trooper discovered that his “commercial delivery paperwork was false.”
After obtaining a search warrant for the trailer, NSP located high-end commercial speakers that were destined for Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as miscellaneous items that were intended for Walmart facilities in Florida.
All of items were stolen from Illinois and New York, NSP said.
Troopers said that after being placed out-of-service, the truck driver “absconded.”
An arrest warrant was issued for the driver, “who was identified as Ashwani Kumar, by his New Jersey Non-Domicile CDL.”
Both of the investigations are ongoing.
What Are They Saying?
“The Nebraska State Patrol is a tremendous law enforcement agency. Our troopers do amazing work to keep us safe – through their patrols in the air, as well as on the ground,” said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. “Both of these seizures happened because our troopers are highly trained and are ready to investigate when it appears criminal activity is underway.”
“These two investigations are excellent examples of troopers looking beyond the initial traffic stop for indicators of criminal activity,” said Colonel Bryan Waugh, Superintendent of the NSP. “The troopers involved in these investigations have not only uncovered crimes, but they’ve prevented further criminal activity that would have occurred if these two semis reached their intended destinations. Their work has made communities safer by interrupting multiple criminal enterprises.”
“I think it’s a reminder to all of us – this drug trade is international, it’s national, it’s ongoing. It doesn’t slow up and the tactics change all the time,” noted Lt. Governor Joe Kelly. “And thank God the Nebraska State Patrol is there, always trying to stay ahead of this game.”
