GEARY COUNTY, KS – A seemingly routine traffic stop on Interstate 70 on June 2 escalated into a significant drug bust, resulting in the seizure of an estimated $4 million worth of illicit narcotics and the arrest of two individuals. The arrests were part of a multi-jurisdictional criminal enforcement effort targeting drug trafficking along the I-70 corridor.
The operation, conducted on June 1 and 2, involved a coordinated effort by various law enforcement agencies to identify and apprehend criminals utilizing I-70 as a trafficking route, according to a media release from the Geary County Sheriff’s Office.
On the evening of June 2, Undersheriff Justin Stopper and Sheriff Nate Boeckman initiated a traffic stop on a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) near the K-18 East Manhattan exit for traffic infractions. During the stop, officers observed indicators of further criminal activity, prompting the deployment of a K9 unit from the Junction City Police Department.
A subsequent probable cause search of the CMV uncovered approximately 3,280 pounds of marijuana and 260 pounds of cocaine hidden within the trailer. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately $4 million.
Following the discovery, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was notified and provided assistance with the ongoing investigation. Two individuals, identified as 33-year-old Yonas Tsegay and 31-year-old Samson Haliab, both from California, were taken into custody.
Both Tsegay and Haliab are currently being held on $500,000 bonds each. The investigation remains ongoing.
This successful operation was a collaborative effort involving personnel from the Geary County Sheriff’s Office, Junction City Police Department, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, and Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.
