Arkansas State Police seize 1,100 pounds of drugs and 19 firearms

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Arkansas – Arkansas State Police conducted a series of serious raids in June.

According to ASP officials, troopers conducted a traffic stop on a rental car on June 18 on eastbound Interstate 40 in Crawford County, near Van Buren.

Police then discovered nine garbage bags and a duffel bag containing 148 kilograms of illegal marijuana, with an estimated street value of $487,000. They also seized over $25,000 in cash from the two occupants of the vehicle.

According to officials, the two arrested were the driver, 50-year-old Christian Nichols of Kentucky, and the passenger, 21-year-old Giovanni Capozzi of California. Both men were taken to the Crawford County Detention Center.

Both men were charged with illegal possession with intent to resell and possession of drug paraphernalia. Capozzi also had arrest warrants out for him in California.

On June 21, ASP stopped a pickup truck on Highway 49 near Barton. A search of the truck revealed a collection of weapons.

Police then arrested 30-year-old Dallas Young of Poplar Grove and took him to the Phillips County Sheriff’s Detention Center.

Young is now facing charges including two counts of illegal possession of a firearm, resisting arrest, drunk driving, possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia and other offenses.

On June 23, a truck was stopped by police in Lonoke. During the search, 23 boxes were found containing approximately 300 kilograms of THC products and 45 kilograms of psilocybin mushroom products.

Police arrested the driver, 35-year-old Joshua Burgess, and his passenger, 26-year-old Cynthia Nickolaisen, both of North Carolina.

The two were taken to the Lonoke County Detention Center. Both were charged with trafficking in controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Also on June 23, state police stopped a car traveling north on Highway 61 near Sandy Ridge in Mississippi County.

During the search of the vehicle, 17 firearms, several fully loaded magazines and a backpack full of ammunition were found.

Police arrested 24-year-old Tyree Speed ​​of Blytheville and took him to the Mississippi County Detention Center where he faces charges including drunken driving, possession with intent to resell and concurrent possession of drugs and firearms.

On July 3, police stopped a rental vehicle on eastbound Interstate 40 in Crawford County and arrested 45-year-old Wenchao Yasin and 53-year-old Muayad Yasin, both of California.

Officers found three duffel bags containing 92 pounds of illegal marijuana. Both men are charged with possession with intent to resell and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The men told investigators they traveled from California to Atlanta, Georgia.