Van, TX - A routine traffic stop on Interstate 20 led to a major drug seizure Friday after a Van Zandt County deputy discovered more than 38 pounds of marijuana hidden inside a pickup truck.
According to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy McClain conducted the stop on a 2024 black GMC pickup on November 7, 2025. During the investigation, the deputy located and seized approximately 38 pounds of marijuana.
The driver, identified as 30-year-old Malcolm Hampton of Louisiana, was taken into custody and booked into the Van Zandt County Detention Center on a charge of Possession of Marijuana (5 lbs to less than 50 lbs).
Sheriff Kevin Bridger credited the county’s Criminal Interdiction Program for the successful seizure.
“When I took office, we added a Criminal Interdiction Deputy to focus on the transportation of illegal drugs through Van Zandt County,” said Sheriff Bridger. “This arrest is proof that those efforts are paying off.”
The Sheriff’s Office reminded the public that all subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.