PERU, Ill. — Two Chicago-area men have been charged with cannabis trafficking after Illinois State Police say they found nearly 5,900 pounds of cannabis and cannabis products hidden aboard a semi-truck during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 — a haul believed to be the largest of its kind in La Salle County history. Haed O. Samhan, 45, of Harwood Heights, and Mahmoud B. Bazrouk, 41, of Norridge, were booked into the La Salle County Jail the evening of September 4, 2026. Both were formally charged September 8, 2026, with cannabis trafficking involving more than 5,000 grams, a Class X felony, and are being held without bond.
By Willow Moss | Moss and Ink | First published September 7, 2026 | Updated October 14, 2026
Case Status
- Current status: Bazrouk was arraigned September 25, 2026, and his case has been placed on the trial schedule. Samhan was indicted September 22, 2026, and pleaded not guilty at his September 23, 2026 arraignment; a jury trial is set for November 16, 2026. Both defendants remain detained following their September 9, 2026 detention hearings.
- Next court date: Bazrouk — pre-trial hearing November 5, 2026, before Judge Vescogni, with jury trial to follow November 26, 2026. Samhan — jury pre-trial November 5, 2026 at 9:00 a.m., with jury trial November 16, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., Room 210, before Judge Vescogni.
- Charges: Cannabis trafficking involving more than 5,000 grams — Class X felony, 720 ILCS 550/5.1(a). Prosecutors have separately indicated the charge carries a sentencing range of 12–60 years in prison with no possibility of probation, with a required minimum of 75% of any sentence served.
- Custody status: Held at La Salle County Jail; pretrial release formally denied for both defendants by detention orders entered September 9, 2026.
- Case numbers: 2026CF000385 (Bazrouk); 2026CF000386 (Samhan).
- Court: La Salle County Circuit Court, Criminal & Juvenile Division.
- Prosecution: La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office; Jason Goode, first assistant, confirmed the seizure weight and record status to local media.
- Defense: Bazrouk — Robert Rascia (Larry Beaumont represented him at the September 8 first appearance). Samhan — James Tunick, assisted by Arabic interpreter Eva Naser (Beaumont also represented him initially; Robert Rascia briefly appeared for Samhan and was allowed to withdraw).
- Presiding judge: Michelle A. Vescogni.
- Last updated: October 14, 2026.
Incident Summary
On Friday, September 4, 2026, around 11:30 a.m., Illinois State Police conducted a random roadside motor carrier safety inspection on an eastbound semi-truck on Interstate 80 in Peru, Illinois, between Plank Road and Route 251. According to authorities, the truck’s two occupants — posing as Amazon delivery drivers — claimed the load was an Amazon shipment. A search of the trailer instead turned up multiple pallets of cannabis and cannabis products, with a preliminary weight of 5,858.4 pounds — nearly three tons.
Jason Goode, first assistant La Salle County State’s Attorney, said the seizure is believed to be a La Salle County record. Local news archives point to a previous largest known seizure of roughly one ton (about 1,800 pounds), from a woman in the mid-1990s, though no matching court record has been located to confirm that earlier case. Both men were transported to the La Salle County Jail that evening.
Suspect Background
Mahmoud B. Bazrouk
- Age: 41
- City: Norridge, Illinois
- Jail roster race/sex: U/M
- Booking class: Pretrial
- Intake: September 4, 2026, 7:19 p.m.
- Arresting agency: ISP Troop 2
- Arresting officer: Trooper Shamblin
- Charge listed on roster: Cannabis Trafficking
Haed O. Samhan
- Age: 45
- City: Harwood Heights, Illinois
- Jail roster race/sex: U/M
- Booking class: Pretrial
- Intake: September 4, 2026, 7:19 p.m.
- Arresting agency: ISP Troop 2
- Arresting officer: Trooper Griggs #5212
- Charge listed on roster: Cannabis Trafficking
Arrest & Charges
- Incident date: Friday, September 4, 2026, around 11:30 a.m.
- Location: Interstate 80 eastbound, just outside La Salle / Peru, Illinois, between Plank Road and Route 251.
- Circumstance: A trooper with ISP’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau conducted a traffic stop on the truck tractor semi-trailer (TTST); a search of the vehicle followed.
- Seizure: 5,858.4 pounds of cannabis and cannabis products, preliminary weight — believed to be a La Salle County record.
- Arrest: Bazrouk (driver) and Samhan (codriver) were taken into custody without incident and booked into the La Salle County Jail the evening of September 4, 2026, at 7:19 p.m.
- Charge: Cannabis trafficking involving more than 5,000 grams — Class X felony, 720 ILCS 550/5.1(a).
- Formal charges filed: September 8, 2026, in La Salle County Circuit Court; the State also filed a verified petition to deny pretrial release for both defendants.
Case Timeline & Proceedings
September 4, 2026 — Traffic Stop and Seizure. A trooper with ISP’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau stops an eastbound semi-truck on I-80 just outside La Salle. The truck’s two occupants, posing as Amazon drivers, claim the load is an Amazon shipment; a search instead turns up multiple pallets of cannabis and cannabis products weighing a preliminary 5,858.4 pounds. Bazrouk and Samhan, the driver and codriver, are taken into custody without incident.
September 4, 2026 (evening) — Booking. Haed O. Samhan and Mahmoud B. Bazrouk are booked into the La Salle County Jail at 7:19 p.m., both listed as pretrial with a Cannabis Trafficking charge on the jail roster.
September 8, 2026 — Charges Filed. La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office charges Bazrouk (case 2026CF000385) and Samhan (case 2026CF000386) with cannabis trafficking, a Class X felony. The State files a verified petition to deny pretrial release for both, along with pretrial investigation reports; Judge Michelle A. Vescogni’s docket shows both cases open with no bond set.
September 8, 2026 — First Appearance. Both defendants appear before Judge Vescogni for their first appearance, represented by attorney Larry Beaumont. Samhan tenders a request for an Arabic interpreter, which the court grants by order. With the State’s verified petitions to deny pretrial release already on file, Beaumont moves to continue the matter, advising the court that both defendants will voluntarily remain detained in the meantime. The motions are granted without objection, and both cases are continued to September 9, 2026, for a detention hearing. The State separately files amended verified petitions to deny pretrial release for both defendants.
September 9, 2026 — Detention Hearings. At Bazrouk’s hearing, attorney Robert Rascia has taken over as his counsel; Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Cantlin argues by proffer for the State. The court grants the State’s amended petition, finds Bazrouk shall remain detained, and continues his case to September 25, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. for arraignment. At Samhan’s hearing, Arabic interpreter Eva Naser is sworn to translate. Attorney James Tunick has filed an appearance for Samhan, and Robert Rascia — who had also briefly appeared in that case — is allowed to withdraw. Tunick asks the court to take judicial notice of the State’s proffer from Bazrouk’s hearing in case 2026CF000385, which is granted without objection, then argues against detention; the court hears Cantlin’s response and grants the State’s petition, ordering Samhan detained. By agreement of the parties, his case is continued to October 5, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. for arraignment. In both cases the court explains each defendant’s right to file a motion for relief from the detention order, and a pretrial investigation report is noted in Samhan’s case. Formal detention orders denying pretrial release are entered for both defendants the same day.
September 22, 2026 — Samhan Indicted. A grand jury returned an indictment against Samhan on one count of cannabis trafficking involving more than 5,000 grams, a Class X felony. The docket notes he was in custody, having been denied pretrial release.
September 23, 2026 — Samhan Arraignment. Samhan was arraigned before Judge Vescogni and entered a plea of not guilty. A jury pre-trial hearing was set for November 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., with a jury trial set for November 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., both in Room 210.
September 25, 2026 — Bazrouk Arraignment. Bazrouk was formally arraigned before Judge Vescogni, accompanied in the gallery by five friends and family members. His private attorney, Robert Rascia, requested that the case be placed on the trial schedule; the State agreed. A pre-trial hearing was set for November 5, 2026, before Judge Vescogni, with jury trial to follow on November 26, 2026.
December 19, 2026 — Jury Trial (previously reported; superseded for Bazrouk). A jury trial date of December 19, 2026 was previously reported for both cases. It did not appear on the La Salle County docket as of the September 10, 2026 review. Following his September 25 arraignment, Bazrouk’s case was placed on the trial schedule with jury trial now set for November 26, 2026 — not December 19. Samhan was arraigned September 23, 2026, and a jury trial in his case is set for November 16, 2026.
How to Follow This Case
- La Salle County Circuit Court case numbers: 2026CF000385 (Bazrouk) and 2026CF000386 (Samhan) — searchable via the La Salle County Circuit Clerk’s online docket or public access terminal.
- Arraignments: Samhan on September 23, 2026 and Bazrouk on September 25, 2026 — both before Judge Michelle A. Vescogni.
Source Notes
This report draws on Illinois State Police Troop 2 Facebook news release (published on or around September 5, 2026) providing additional detail on the stop and arrest; on La Salle County Jail roster screenshots dated around September 4–5, 2026; and on La Salle County Circuit Clerk online docket records for case numbers 2026CF000385 and 2026CF000386, reviewed September 8 and again September 10, 2026, the latter reflecting the September 9 detention hearings and newly scheduled arraignment dates; Samhan’s docket was reviewed again October 14, 2026, reflecting his indictment, arraignment and trial dates. This report will be updated as the case proceeds through court.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. Formal charges had not been filed as of publication. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
—Willow Moss