Arkansas State Police seize 1,100 pounds of narcotics and 19 guns

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ark. – Arkansas State Police made a series of major busts in June.

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

Troopers then said they discovered nine trash bags and one duffle bag filled with 325 pounds of illegal marijuana an estimated street value of $487,000. They also seized over $25,000 in cash from the two people in the vehicle.

The two people arrested, according to officials, 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 felony Possession with Purpose to Deliver and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Capozzi also had felony warrants out of California.

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

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

Young is now facing charges including two counts of a felon in possession of prohibited weapons, resisting arrest, DWI, possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia and other charges.

On June 23, a truck was stopped by troopers in Lonoke. A search turned up 23 cardboard boxes containing approximately 682 pounds of THC products and 99 pounds of Psilocybin Mushroom products.

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

The two were transported to the Lonoke County Detention Center with both facing felony charges of trafficking a controlled substance and felony possession of drug paraphernalia.

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

A search of the vehicle turned up 17 firearms, multiple fully loaded magazines and a backpack full of ammunition.

Troopers arrested 24-year-old Tyree Speed of Blytheville and transported him to the Mississippi County Detention Center where he is facing charges of DWI, possession with intent to deliver and simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, among other charges.

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

Troopers found three duffle bags containing 92 pounds of illegal marijuana. Both men are facing felony charges of possession with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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

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