Bloomington, IL – Nearly 100 pounds of methamphetamine were seized during a traffic stop on I-74 just outside Bloomington Tuesday afternoon, marking one of the largest recent drug busts in central Illinois.
According to Illinois State Police, the stop happened just before 1 p.m. on eastbound I-74 when a Troop 5 Criminal Patrol officer pulled over a passenger vehicle in McLean County. A search of the vehicle uncovered multiple packages of suspected methamphetamine weighing approximately 97 pounds, with an estimated street value of $3.6 million.
The driver, identified as a 25-year-old man from Madison, Wisconsin, was taken into custody without incident. Authorities said he was the sole occupant of the vehicle at the time of the stop.
The case has been forwarded to the McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office, where the suspect now faces a Class X felony charge of methamphetamine trafficking. He remains in custody pending his first court appearance.
Illinois State Police emphasized the role of proactive patrol operations in intercepting large-scale drug movement along major corridors like I-74, a key east-west route through the state.
