Illinois State Police arrested two Canadian residents after seizing more than 1,100 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $40 million from a semi-trailer along Interstate 80 near the Illinois-Iowa border, authorities said.
Vanshpreet Singh, 27, and Manpreet Singh, 36, both of Ontario, were arrested on Friday near Geneso in Henry County, according to a Facebook post from ISP. During a commercial motor vehicle inspection on a semi-trailer, state troopers observed "numerous indicators of criminal activity," police said. Law enforcement performed a subsequent search and revealed suspected cocaine, which weighed approximately 1,146 pounds.
The amount of drugs seized has an estimated street value of more than $40 million, police stated.
Vanshpreet Singh and Manpreet Singh were lodged in the Henry County Jail pending a pre-trial hearing, authorities said.
The investigation was conducted by ISP's Blackhawk Area Task Force in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly> Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
