LEXINGTON, Neb. — Nebraska State Patrol troopers have seized nearly 20,000 pounds of marijuana, THC products and psilocybin products in what the agency believes is the largest drug bust in its history.
The seizure happened Sept. 4 after a trooper stopped a semitrailer near mile marker 228 on Interstate 80 at about 8 a.m.
During a commercial vehicle inspection, the trooper detected the odor of marijuana, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.
Troopers searched the semitrailer and found 27 pallets of boxes containing approximately 5,200 pounds of marijuana, 13,600 pounds of THC products and 1,000 pounds of psilocybin products, according to NSP.
The total street value of the seized products is estimated at more than $50 million.
The driver, 44-year-old William Gomez of Virginia, was arrested for possession of controlled substances and possession with intent to deliver.
The seizure comes as use of psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms, has increased in the United States.
The 2025 National Survey Investigating Hallucinogenic Trends estimated that 5.3% of U.S. adults ages 18 and older, about 13.9 million people, had used at least one of 13 substances included in the survey.
Psilocybin was the most commonly used psychedelic substance, with an estimated 7.8 million adults, or 2.9%, reporting use in the past year. That was up from 2.1% in 2024.
Another report published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found psilocybin use has increased significantly nationwide since 2019.
