LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas State Police (ASP) Troopers seized record amounts of illegal narcotics in 2025, leading all agencies in the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) region.
ASP released a statement on Friday.
“Black‑market high‑grade marijuana is fueling violence in our cities,” said Gulf Coast HIDTA Chairman and ASP Director Col. Mike Hagar. “These seizures matter. Illegal marijuana, guns, and violence go hand in hand, and every load we intercept makes Arkansas communities safer.”
ASP’s release stated that its Interstate Criminal Patrol (ICP) Unit reported increases across nearly every category of illegal narcotics:
1,154 pounds of methamphetamine (up from 509 lbs. in 2024)
750 pounds of cocaine (up from 254 lbs. in 2024)
127 pounds of fentanyl (up from 69 lbs. in 2024)
17,700 pounds of illegal marijuana
74 pounds of THC wax
4.6 pounds of heroin
1,200 pounds of THC edibles and vapes
ASP also stated its troopers seized $1.6 million in cash, 28 weapons, and 20 vehicles tied to criminal trafficking activity.
“The Arkansas State Police do a tremendous job intercepting illegal drugs on highways across the region. The results speak for themselves. In 2025, HIDTA invested $500,000 to support highway patrol initiatives across the region, and that investment returned more than $87 million in drugs and assets,” Gulf Coast HIDTA Executive Director Tim Valenti said. “For 2026, we’ve awarded $10,000 to the Arkansas State Police to help continue this vital work. Arkansas plays a major role in our program, with Col. Hagar serving as a strong leader for both Arkansas State Police and Gulf Coast HIDTA.”
Hagar was elected Chair of the Gulf Coast HIDTA in 2025 by a 25‑member executive board and serves as one of 33 HIDTA chairs nationwide.
“Protecting Americans from dangerous cartels doesn’t stop at our borders,” said Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “Arkansas sits at the heart of major drug‑trafficking corridors, and our State Troopers, some of the country’s bravest men and women, sacrifice daily to keep our roads and communities safe.”
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas Jonathan D. Ross, recently elected Vice‑Chairman of the Gulf Coast HIDTA, emphasized the importance of ASP’s interdiction efforts.
“Col. Hagar and the Arkansas State Police have proven to be national leaders in identifying and seizing illicit drugs. Our office works closely with ASP and federal partners to indict those transporting and distributing these drugs, including black‑market marijuana flowing from Oklahoma, Colorado, and California,” Ross said. “As the newly elected Vice-Chairman of the Gulf Coast HIDTA, I look forward to serving alongside Chairman Col. Hagar as he helps share his expertise with our other state and federal partners throughout the seven states that form the Gulf Coast HIDTA.”
The Gulf Coast HIDTA includes agencies from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida, all positioned along major drug corridors connecting the Southwest Border to the East Coast and Midwest.
Nationwide in 2025, HIDTA agencies seized 4.1 million pounds of drugs and disrupted $17.7 billion in illegal profits.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
