Texas DPS awarded semi-truck seized in drug bust to be used for law enforcement purposes

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The 100th Judicial District Attorney is awarding the Texas DPS Aircraft Operations Division with a semi-truck and trailer that was seized during a drug bust in 2018.

A 2010 Peterbilt Truck Tractor and a Great Dane Semi Trailer were seized by a DPS Highway Patrol trooper in Childress County on March 1, 2018, after the trooper arrested the truck driver for the second degree felony offense of possession of marijuana.

The driver pleaded guilty to the charge in May of 2019.

The semi-truck was finally forfeited to the DA’s office in September of 2019.

Luke Inman, the 100th Judicial DA, gave up his rights to the vehicle, allowing DPS to keep it for law enforcement purposes.

According to Inman, each DA’s office has the authority to seize any property tied to criminal activity, the illegal narcotics trade being one of those.

“We are very proactive in our seizures, because we support what law enforcement is doing on our highways,” said Inman. “Another way we show our support regularly is by giving up any interest we have in seized property when law enforcement can put that equipment into service.”

The DPS Aircraft Division is a group of trained pilots utilizing aviation to assist local and State law enforcement agencies.

According to DPS officials, they plan to store the vehicle in Austin and use the vehicle to haul a mobile command unit and storage facility for the different aircrafts it utilizes.

“Thanks to the combined efforts of the Texas DPS Highway Patrol and the Criminal Investigators Division, as well as 100th Judicial District Attorney, Luke Inman, we are able to put this support vehicle to good use,” said DPS Lieutenant Pilot Cody Klaehn. “This equipment will give us the ability to better serve the citizens of Texas by responding to an emergency scene to support our personnel and aircraft. This on-site command post will be crucial for communication and coordination as it is deployed to emergency scenes.”