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(Quincy, Ill.)  As we talked with the Quincy Police Department about the cocaine arrest that took place Monday, July 13th, Assistant Chief Ron Dreyer told us David Hayes (the man arrested) had been on the Amtrak train from Chicago.

So we wanted to know if this is a popular mode of trafficking drugs.

KHQA's Jarod Wells found out those answers.

Is this something you've been seeing more of, people moving drugs through Amtrak?

"I don't think there's any secret or mystery to the fact that Amtrak, because it's a major thoroughfare, as are the interstates, a pipeline for all sorts of traffic. Including illicit traffic," said Adams County State's Attorney Jon Barnard.

But that doesn't mean it's a growing problem. Barnard says there always will be a fight against drug trafficking. As long as there is a buyer, there will be a seller. And as long as there is a mode of transportation, people will use it to traffic drugs.

"Many of these individuals are from outside the area," said QPD Assistant Chief Ron Dreyer, "but then they infiltrate our area, they get involved with local individuals and cause more issues."

Barnard and Dreyer told Jarod incoming trains always are watched closely because they are coming from Chicago, where there is a lot of drugs, gangs and organized crime.

"We watch, we monitor, we conduct surveillance, very closely, very carefully and I think very effectively," said Barnard.  "Last night was a good example. Do we catch it all? No. Do we do our level best? You bet. Are we effective? Absolutely."

Even more important to stopping this trafficking is communication between different agencies.

"With our officers that are involved in West Central Illinois Task Force, we've got a lot of connections throughout various counties, the state and there's a lot of intelligence that's exchanged between out officers and other agencies," said Dreyer.

It's that communication that Dreyer says led to Monday's arrest. He says with heightened security people may be less prone to ship drugs on public transportation. When they do, it can sometimes work in law enforcement's favor.

"It places people in a confined area," said Dreyer.  "We can monitor activity, use our criteria, intelligence and our observation to watch individuals who may be trafficking drugs."

Dreyer told Jarod Amtrak may be the second biggest way drugs are brought to and from Quincy and the surrounding areas.

The number one mode is still personal vehicles.