By: Tim O’friel
August 22nd, 2026.
BEAUMONT, Texas | A traffic stop involving a tractor trailer on Interstate 10 led to a narcotics arrest after Beaumont police say officers discovered a large quantity of marijuana inside the commercial vehicle.
The stop happened on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at approximately 8:45 p.m. in the 3800 block of Interstate 10 in Beaumont.
According to information released by the Beaumont Police Department, officers initially stopped the tractor-trailer for a traffic violation. During the encounter, police said officers developed reasonable suspicion that additional criminal activity may have been taking place.
Investigators said the driver then consented to a search of the vehicle.
During that search, officers reportedly located a large amount of marijuana inside the tractor-trailer.
Police identified the truck driver as Liqiang Gao, 36.
Liqiang Gao, 36, A Foreign National, was identified by Beaumont police as the truck driver arrested after an Aug. 16 traffic stop on Interstate 10 which led to the discovery of a large quantity of marijuana inside the tractor-trailer.
Gao was arrested on a narcotics-related charge and booked into the Jefferson County Jail following the stop. Police later confirmed that he was no longer listed on the jail’s active roster.
Authorities have not publicly released the exact weight of the marijuana recovered, its estimated street value, where the load originated, or its intended destination.
The case adds to continued drug-interdiction activity along Interstate 10, a major east-west freight corridor through Southeast Texas used heavily by commercial traffic.
The investigation remains with Beaumont authorities, and additional details could be released as the case moves forward.
TWOSU News will update this story if Beaumont police release additional information about the seizure or charges.
