152 pounds of cocaine found in truck at Rolla

ROLLA, Mo. (AP) -- An Illinois man faces drug trafficking charges after a police dog sniffed out 152 pounds of cocaine hidden in the cab of his tractor-trailer, authorities said.

Police believe the drugs had a street value of nearly $7 million.

Husam Bshara of Tinley Park, Ill., was arrested Monday after police received a tip about the tractor-trailer stopped at Love's Travel Stop on Interstate 44 in Rolla. A Missouri State Highway Patrol dog found the drugs in a hidden compartment, authorities said.

I-44 is believed to be one of the nation's major drug pipelines, and law enforcement in the Rolla area have made it a priority to try to intercept drugs along the route.

Authorities said the investigation has been turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. "That way, we can prosecute at a federal level," Rolla Police Chief Mark Kearse said.

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Information from: Rolla Daily News, http://www.therolladailynews.com.