Arkansas Sheriff's Office Seizes $4.5M in Drugs from Commercial Truck

Key Details The Saline County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) seized over 2,800 pounds of narcotics with an estimated street value of $4.5 million from a commercial vehicle on I-30 near mile marker 106 in Arkansas on February 22, 2026. A deputy initiated a traffic stop that led to the major drug bust and arrest of the driver. Who Was Arrested The commercial vehicle driver, identified as Firdavs Nazarov, 38, of Tajikistan, was arrested without incident. Nazarov was in the U.S. on an expired tourist visa and possessed a New York driver's license. The truck displayed Alaska license plates and was reportedly transporting cargo from Oregon to North Carolina under company owner Aleksey Shcherbina. Why It Matters This seizure represents a significant disruption to illegal drug distribution networks and demonstrates the commitment of local law enforcement to highway safety. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted in the investigation. SCSO emphasized that proactive enforcement efforts like this protect communities from the harmful effects of narcotics trafficking on interstate corridors.