An Interstate 40 traffic jam turned into a major drug bust when Arkansas State Police discovered nearly 300 pounds of marijuana inside a California man's vehicle, reports said Thursday. Antranik Keshisian of North Hollywood, aged 55, faced the long arm of the law after his tan freightliner motorhome was stopped near the 278-mile marker in Crittenden County Arkansas, on March 27. The stop, originally for a traffic violation at 5:30 p.m., led to an eye-opening find.

Once the vehicle was searched, troopers stumbled upon several duffle bags that were brimming with the green stuff – a striking 298 pounds of illegal marijuana to be exact. Keshisian, who was en route from California to Florida, got more than just a traffic citation, according to WREG.

His journey reached an abrupt halt as he was ushered to the Crittenden County Detention Center. He now faces a slew of charges including Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Failure to Register his Vehicle with Expired Tags, as per FOX13 Memphis.

"Troopers discovered several duffle bags containing 298 pounds of illegal marijuana," a news release from ASP detailed the incident. The substantial quantity of marijuana has a street value that can significantly disrupt the loosely-knitted fabric of the illegal drug trade in any community. This seizure underscores an ongoing battle with drug trafficking that continues to snake its way across the country's highways, sometimes hiding in plain sight under the guise of an apparently innocuous road trip, as KAIT8 reported.

The arrest of Keshisian is a reminder of the persistent issue of drug transport on the nation's roads and highlights the vigilance of law enforcement in the pursuit to stem the tide of these illegal operations. Information about his legal representation or upcoming court dates was not immediately available at the time of publication.