Major Drug Bust in South Dakota
Recently, South Dakota authorities apprehended illegal immigrants who were caught transporting methamphetamine, marking the largest single drug seizure in the state’s highway patrol history, as announced by Gov. Larry Roden on Monday.
A 42-year-old man was stopped for speeding on Interstate 90 near Sturgis, not far from the Wyoming border. The South Dakota Highway Patrol found something shocking during the stop: 207 pounds of crystal meth hidden in his vehicle.
After searching the car, officials seized a significant amount of drugs, which has a considerable street value.
Interestingly, the driver was identified as a non-citizen and is currently involved in an immigration case. However, specifics about his country of origin or location remain unclear.
This drug bust is a key component of Governor Roden’s Operation Prairie Thunder, an initiative designed to enable state law enforcement to cooperate with immigration and customs enforcement.
Roden emphasized the government’s commitment to safeguard South Dakota residents from criminal activities and drug trafficking. He praised the highway patrol for their professionalism in executing this record-breaking operation.
Reflecting on his administration’s goals, Roden stated, “I have committed my administration to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free, and we will continue to offer that promise through our operations: Prairie Thunder.”
Earlier this year, Roden signed an agreement with ICE, enabling state highway patrol personnel to carry out specific immigration enforcement duties. This 287(g) task force agreement had been previously abolished during the Obama and Biden administrations but was reinstated by President Trump on his first day in office.
As of May 2025, there are 40 states with at least one active 287(g) task force agreement.
Other agencies cooperating on this investigation include the Drug Enforcement Bureau, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Mead County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department.
