Two people arrested following drug bust in Illinois

ILLINOIS — Two men were arrested Thursday in Freeport following a drug and weapons investigation that led to the discovery of large quantities of narcotics and multiple firearms.

According to the Freeport Police Department, officers first stopped a tan Toyota Highlander around 12:31 p.m. at the intersection of American Street and Stewart Avenue.

Inside the vehicle, police reported finding approximately three pounds of cannabis.

Later that afternoon, at 2:04 p.m., investigators conducting surveillance observed 41-year-old Juston Driver leaving a residence in the 700 block of West Cottonwood Street.

Officers said Driver loaded a large black bag into a black Toyota Highlander.

The vehicle was stopped near West Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard, where police say they recovered 19 grams of cocaine, four pounds of cannabis, and a semi-automatic pistol equipped with a 50-round ammunition drum.

A subsequent search of the Cottonwood Street home uncovered even more contraband, including 952 grams of cocaine, an AR-15 style pistol modified with a switch device to enable automatic fire, a loaded semi-automatic pistol, and additional ammunition.

Both individuals were taken into custody and charged with multiple offenses, including violations of the Cannabis Control Act, the Controlled Substances Act, and unlawful possession of firearms. They were booked into the Stephenson County Jail.