*This is the full video with ASP's video at the end*
RECORD BREAKING AMOUNT
Trooper's Report:
On 10-12-23, I Trooper A. Escamilla, was patrolling in the area of Interstate 40 west near the 184 mile marker. While traveling, I
observed a Gray Mercedes Sprinter Van traveling in the number 1 lane. The vehicle was following too close to another vehicle.
I initiated a traffic stop on Interstate 40 West near the 183 mile marker.
I made contact with the driver identified as Ali Ashabi. I advised Ali of who I was, the agency I represented and the reason for
the stop. Ali was informed of the traffic violation and how to correct it. I asked Ali what is travel story was in which he stated the
following. Ali was traveling from Tennessee to Little Rock Arkansas to help a friend move. I asked Ali if the vehicle was a
company vehicle or a rental in which he stated that the vehicle belonged to a friend. Ali was asked again what he was moving
and he stated that he was traveling to Little Rock to pick up things that he would be taking to move into a restaurant.
While speaking to Ali, it should be known that he appeared to be nervous. When I asked Ali for his driver’s license, he was
shaking. I had Ali exit the vehicle so that I could further conduct my traffic stop. I asked Ali if there was anything illegal in the
vehicle in which he stated “no”. I then asked Ali two separate times if I could search the vehicle in which he stated that I could. I
went to open the right rear door of the van and Ali stated that I shouldn’t open it because it would not open. I then went to open
the rear doors. As I opened the doors, I observed there to be several empty boxes along with a couch across the rear of the
van. Behind the couch were several brown paper bags stacked up which read “The Home Depot Garden Club”. The brown
bags were taped up and concealed an unknown item. Behind those boxes were several boxes stacked from the bottom to the
top of the van. I observed one of the boxes to read “Newport 100’s”. As I looked over those boxes, I observed several
Cigarette Cartons throughout the entirety of the van. I grabbed the brown paper sack bundle and opened it which yielded
several new Newport Cartons inside.
I then opened the carton’s and observed that some had stamps on them from South Carolina. I took a random carton out from
the box and observed that those did not have a stamp on them. Due to the large quantity of Cigarette’s located, I placed Ali in
the rear of my vehicle to further investigate.
I had
Ali drive the vehicle from my stop location to the 183 mile marker where I advised Ali to take the exit and pull into a gravel lot in
which he did. I then had Ali come back to the rear of my vehicle while I waited for Agent Miller to respond.
Agents Miller and Agent Matthew Thomas arrived to Lonoke County Sheriff's Office and took over the scene. All evidence was
transferred to them. I was advised by Agents to charge with Arkansas Code 26-57-245 Possession of Unstamped / Unpaid
Taxes Tobacco Products. Ali was also charged with Use of another person’s property to facilitate a crime.
ARKANSAS STATE POLICE'S NEWS RELEASE
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - Arkansas State Police (ASP) and Arkansas Tobacco Control agents seized a record-breaking amount of illegal cigarettes on Thursday, October 12. The seizure included 32,671 packs of untaxed cigarettes valued at more than $311,000.
An ASP Trooper who stopped a cargo van on Interstate 40 near Carlisle discovered numerous cartons of cigarettes during a search of the cargo area. The Trooper and an Arkansas Tobacco Control Enforcement agent seized more than 3,270 cartons of cigarettes.
“Contraband cigarettes are one of the leading sources of funding for terrorism in the United States,” said ASP Colonel Mike Hagar. “We will continue to work with all our partners at Tobacco Control Enforcement to expose and dismantle organizations behind illegal cigarette operations.”
The driver, Ali Ali Ashabi, 35, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested and transported to the Lonoke County Detention Facility, where he was charged with Possession of Untaxed Tobacco and Unauthorized Use of Another Person’s Property to Facilitate Certain Crimes.
“This stop is a testament to the importance of strong relationships among law enforcement organizations,” said Trent Minner, Administrator of DFA’s Regulatory Division. “Our partners at State Police immediately contacted Tobacco Control, allowing an agent to arrive on scene quickly. As a result, we made what we believe is the largest seizure of illegal and untaxed cigarettes in Arkansas, saving the state a significant amount of tax revenue.”
The cargo van was also seized along with the cigarettes.
Tobacco Control operates under the Department of Finance and Administration’s Regulatory Division.
Arkansas Tobacco Control oversees 5,262 tobacco permits across the state.
18 окт 2023