RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – A traffic stop along Interstate 40 led to the seizure of more than 100 pounds of illegal narcotics and the arrest of a California man, according to Arkansas State Police.
At about 1:45 p.m. Monday, a trooper pulled over a tractor-trailer near the 75-mile marker of eastbound I-40. During the stop, four boxes found inside the cab of the truck were found to contain 15 kilograms of fentanyl and 35 kilograms of cocaine.
Col. Mike Hagar, director of Arkansas State Police, said the amount of fentanyl seized could equate to roughly 150,000 lethal doses.
“Removing over 36 pounds of fentanyl from our communities will save an untold number of lives,” Hagar said in a statement. “Seizures like this should serve as a warning to anyone transporting illicit narcotics along our interstates and highways. State Police will remain vigilant and committed to keeping the roads safe for law-abiding citizens.”
The driver, identified as Claude Bell, 56, of California, was arrested and is facing 21 counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 21 counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Authorities said Bell told investigators he was traveling from Los Angeles to Memphis.
He is in the custody of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is expected to face charges in federal court in the Eastern District of Arkansas.
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