Notice to Media

Highway Police Officers Uncover Load of Marijuana

LITTLE ROCK (8-31) – For the second consecutive weekend, officers from the Arkansas Highway Police Division of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) have uncovered a large shipment of illegal drugs at the Lehi Weigh Station on I-40 near West Memphis, according to Dan Flowers, AHTD Director.

On Sunday, August 29 at 1:40 a.m., officers were making a routine safety inspection of a vehicle at the eastbound weigh station. After obtaining consent from the driver to search the trailer, the officers discovered eleven cardboard boxes underneath sheets of plywood and shipping blankets. The boxes contained approximately 1,100 pounds of marijuana and 2 kilograms of cocaine. The officers also seized approximately $3,000 in cash from the cab of the truck.

The truck driver, Lorenzo Carlos of Pico Rivera, California, was taken into custody at the scene. Carlos, age 29, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Records onboard the truck indicated the vehicle was traveling from Dallas, Texas to Memphis, Tennessee.

On August 21, officers at the Lehi Weigh Station discovered 1,500 pounds of marijuana in a truck carrying military-type packaged food.

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For Further Information Contact:

Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
10324 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72209
Tel: 501-569-2000
FAX: 501-569-2400
e-mail: info@arkansashighways.com