Two Canadians were busted while attempting to traffic over $40 million worth of cocaine in the United States.
Illinois State Police pulled over a semi-trailer truck near the Iowa state line last week that carried the illicit cargo.
“Vanshpreet Singh and Manpreet Signh were taken into custody and transported to the Henry County Jail pending a pre-trial release hearing. ISP notified Homeland Security Investigations, which responded and is providing assistance. There is no further information available at this time,” reads the IPS press release.
According to police, a trooper conducted an inspection of their vehicle early Friday afternoon on Interstate 80 in Henry County, Illinois.
The two men were transporting the drugs in a Volvo semi-trailer.
The trooper discovered “numerous indicators of criminal activity” during the inspection and a complete search of the truck revealed 1,146 pounds of cocaine, worth an approximate street value of over $40 million.
Both men have been charged with felony counts of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, and cocaine trafficking.
“ISP’s coordinated focus on trafficking is helping keep dangerous drugs out of our communities,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly in a statement.
“From commercial motor vehicle inspections, to daily patrol, to targeted anti-violence and trafficking details, ISP is making communities safer.”
News of such a large drug bust comes on the heels of president-elect Donald Trump announcing plans to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada, citing loose border control and drug smuggling as reasons for their implementation.
“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” Trump declared.
Trump noted that the tariff will “remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular, Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
Trudeau attended Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida late Friday to discuss the incoming president’s pledge to impose the tariffs.
Following his meeting with Trudeau, Trump referred to their meeting as “very productive.”
“We discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada,” said Trump in a social media post.
Representatives of the Trudeau government were allegedly told that the US tariffs could not be avoided in the short term because the Trump administration was adamant about their effectiveness. However, they added that if border security is tightened, the tariffs could possibly be lifted in the long term.
The two also discussed NATO, Ukraine, China, the energy sector and the importation of fentanyl into both countries.
