ASP seizes record quantity of meth

Arkansas State Troopers seized a record amount of methamphetamine during an arrest earlier this week. Troopers discovered 276 pounds of meth, valued at an estimated $10 million dollars street value, inside the cargo trailer of a commercial carrier stopped along Interstate 40.

The seizure from the cross-country shipment is believed to be the largest single seizure of meth in Arkansas law enforcement history.

State police on Monday afternoon patrolling Lonoke County in the area of Kerr Road and I-40 noticed a tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder of the highway. A trooper approached the truck to check the driver's well-being.

During a conversation with the driver, the trooper was given permission to inspect the cargo trailer where the meth, in both liquid and crystal form, was subsequently located.

The truck driver is identified as Javier Leon-Garcia, 53, of Moreno, Calif. Garcia is charged with trafficking a controlled substance and being held without bond in the Lonoke County jail.

"This case is indicative of what continues to be the escalating threat from methamphetamine and its ravages on Arkansas families," said Col. Bill Bryant, Director of the Arkansas State Police. "Our state troopers will continue to be vigilant in their efforts to seize illegal drugs and arrest those who produce and distribute narcotics."

According to ASP spokesperson Billy Sadler, the trooper found the mostly liquid methamphetamine in 5-gallon glass containers, stacked in the trailer.

"Right now, the methamphetamine is in our evidence storage," Sadler said. "There are proper protocols to dispose of it. It can't be burned or dumped. We'll follow the proper safety procedures to dispose of it at the proper time."