What started as a routine traffic stop on Interstate 70 yesterday morning turned into a multimillion-dollar tungsten recovery, according to Greenfield police. Officers say they found nearly 40,000 pounds of tungsten oxide powder in a semi-trailer, a load they estimate at about $2.86 million. The driver was arrested at the scene and is being held in the Hancock County Jail.
Traffic Stop Turns Into Multi Million Tungsten Bust
Officers were alerted at about 6 a.m. to a semi traveling westbound on I-70 and stopped the vehicle as it entered Hancock County, according to WISH-TV. Inside the trailer, police say they discovered nearly 40,000 pounds of tungsten oxide powder, which they valued at approximately $2,857,500, and arrested the 31-year-old driver, identified as Deepak Kumar of Fresno, California. Pennsylvania has since issued an arrest warrant accusing Kumar of theft by unlawful taking and criminal use of a communication facility, and investigators say the truck is being held as evidence.
Shipment Aimed For Japan And The Tungsten Trade
Investigators report that the cargo had been booked for delivery to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation in Japan, and say a company representative came to Greenfield and took possession of the recovered material. Mitsubishi Materials Corporation is a global producer and recycler of metal and chemical products, including tungsten compounds, and in its corporate materials the company highlights processing and recycling. Tungsten oxide and related powders feed manufacturing that ranges from cutting tools and wear parts to electronics and other high-tech uses, and the mineral is tracked as a strategic commodity by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Charges, Custody And The Ongoing Probe
Greenfield police booked the driver into the Hancock County Jail and say he will face criminal charges in Indiana. Pennsylvania authorities have also sought him on theft-related warrants, according to law-enforcement accounts. The truck and its load remain in police custody while investigators coordinate with Pennsylvania officials and the company that reported the theft. Officials have not released additional details about how the cargo was diverted or how long the investigation might take, WISH-TV reports.
Why It Matters Along The I-70 Corridor
Beyond the eye-popping price tag, local officials say the seizure underscores two concerns close to home: the flow of high-value industrial shipments along the I-70 freight corridor and the pressure that volatile critical-materials markets place on supply chains. Police note that the case also highlights routine interagency cooperation when freight is reported stolen across state lines. Investigators have asked anyone with information to contact Greenfield police.
