Galesburg Police Combat Trafficking By Train - News and Weather For The Quad Cities -

Galesburg Police Combat Trafficking By Train

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The Amtrak rolls through Galesburg on a daily basis. If you've ever taken the train, you know that security isn't as stringent as it is when you take the plane.

"When you get on a train, it's not like going through an airport and going through customs," said Galesburg Police Captain, Rod Riggs. But Riggs said local police have increased their Amtrak checks over the past year. They want to make sure passengers aren't trafficking drugs through the city.

"With the advent of medical marijuana being purchased, if you look at who we're arresting, they're coming from Colorado, they're coming from California, medical marijuana states," said Riggs. "They're bringing it back and selling it for a profit here."

Police have made 29 drug arrests at the Amtrak station so far this year. That's almost three times the arrests police made there in 2011.

One reason for more arrests, the department moved a K9 to the day shift. The dog sniffs out drugs and he sits to alert officers that he's found drugs. Once the K9 alerts, police have the authority to search luggage.

Riggs said passengers should beware --

"Unfortunately sometimes they think they can get away with things that they can't get away with."