Illegal Immigrant Nabbed in $12M Meth Bust, Largest In South Dakota History

An illegal alien in South Dakota was arrested while allegedly transporting roughly $12 million in methamphetamine, which is the largest single seizure of the illicit drug in the state’s history, the New York Post reported.

South Dakota Republican Governor Larry Rhoden announced the seizure in a press release Monday, which he said was part of the state’s Operation: Prairie Thunder – an expansive campaign announced late July aimed at interdicting drugs, investigating gang activity, holding parole absconders accountable, and deterring lawlessness.

The unidentified foreign national, 42, was pulled over by South Dakota Highway Patrol Officers during a traffic stop when a service dog alerted the officers to possible narcotics. His vehicle was searched by officers before he was subsequently arrested and charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor related to the manufacturing, possession, and distribution of narcotics and drug paraphernalia. 

Governor Rhoden issued a statement about the massive drug bust, which totaled roughly 207 pounds of crystal meth. Rhoden boasted about the performance of his administration and of state law enforcement officers.

“We are taking action to protect the people of South Dakota from criminals and drug traffickers. Our Highway Patrol showed incredible professionalism in achieving this record drug bust,” Rhoden said. “I promised that my administration would keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free – and we will continue to deliver on that promise through Operation: Prairie Thunder.”

Operation: Prairie Thunder is particularly focused on apprehending illegal aliens in compliance with federal law enforcement officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is in direct opposition to sanctuary city policies prevalent in blue cities.

Governor Rhoden said at the launch of the operation that “Our work alongside ICE boils down to this: Highway Patrol will support ICE with arrests. The National Guard will support ICE with processing and administrative functions. And [the Department of Corrections] will support ICE with transportation, identifying illegal immigrants in our prisons, and getting them paroled to ICE custody.”

The illegal immigrant, whose nationality is unidentified, is “now in immigration proceedings,” according to the press release. 

This comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s push for more accountability for the trafficking of dangerous narcotics into the country by declaring a national emergency at the northern border and continuing to build and reinforce the southern border wall.

At the same time as the Trump administration pushes for more accountability for drug traffickers, it is also focusing its energy on combating sanctuary city policies in blue cities across the country.

Unlike South Dakota’s Operation: Prairie Thunder, which complies with federal officials, New York City’s sanctuary city policies are facing a challenge from the Justice Department.

In a lawsuit filed late last month, the DOJ alleges that parts of New York’s law “impair federal detention of removable aliens, including dangerous criminals, contrary to federal law,” which is contrary to the supremacy clause of the Constitution.

New York City is the latest in a string of major American cities that have been hit with lawsuits over sanctuary city policies. After the destructive riots in Los Angeles, the Trump administration sued the city. In February, the administration filed a lawsuit against Chicago, which has since been dismissed on the basis of lack of standing by the federal government.