Two men were arrested on drug trafficking charges after the Illinois State Police (ISP) discovered a large amount of drugs during a roadside inspection.
On August 15, 2023, an ISP trooper stopped a tractor trailer on I-55 near Springfield for a routine inspection, according to WMAY.
The two men inside the truck, David Dowling-Chacon, 41, and Luis Dukes-Acosta, 38, both California residents, told the trooper that they were on the way to Chicago to pick up a load.
The trooper became suspicious and police obtained permission to search the vehicle. During the search, police discovered approximately 227 pounds of suspected cocaine.
Dowling-Chacon and Dukes-Acosta were arrested on a charge of possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms of more of cocaine. If convicted, the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to the possibility of life in prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation, along with the Springfield Police Department, Jacksonville Police Department, and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office.