BLAIR, Neb. -- Washington County deputies made a huge drug bust Monday night (May 24), discovering 600 pounds of marijuana on a train near Blair, investigators told reporters from KETV.
Employees at the Cargill plant called authorities after finding the drugs as they cleaned a tank car, investigators said.
Deputies said they found a total of 47 bags of marijuana inside the rail car. They place the street value of the pot at about $600,000.
"We were surprised by the amount," said Detective Kevin Willis. "They were packed in pretty good at the bottom, arranged systematically at the bottom of the tanker. We were surprised there were that many."
The tank car was carrying corn syrup which investigators said might have masked the smell of the marijuana. Deputies believe the tank car came from Mexico and made several stops along the way.
It's unclear where the car's final destination was supposed to be. Washington County will now turn the case over to federal authorities.
This is believed to be the largest drug bust in the history of Washington County, according to investigators.