PORT HURON, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — In what has become the largest drug bust in its history, the St. Clair County Drug Task Force seized over 370 pounds of cocaine from a semi-truck on October 15. Valued at approximately $16.5 million, the cocaine was discovered during a traffic stop on Pine Grove Avenue, near the Blue Water Bridge, a vital trade link between Michigan and Ontario, Canada.

The bust has drawn attention to the efforts of the St. Clair County Drug Task Force, a collaborative unit led by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office. The task force includes officers from several local agencies, such as the Michigan State Police, the Port Huron Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. According to a news release from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, this teamwork proved instrumental in intercepting the drugs before they could be distributed. 

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The driver of the semi, whose identity remains undisclosed pending formal arraignment, is currently being held at the St. Clair County Detention and Intervention Center. 

This event is part of a pattern of drug trafficking attempts in the region. Just two months ago, a similar attempt to smuggle 266 pounds of cocaine was thwarted, and in 2021, nearly 600 pounds of drugs were seized from a truck traveling into Canada from Port Huron, according to The Detroit News. 

“Thank you to St. Clair County road patrol, K9 Brock, Port Huron Police Department, Michigan State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance,” the sheriff’s office said. “The Drug Task Force (DTF) remains committed to fighting narcotics trafficking in our community.”