Suspected illegal immigrant’s fake bomb threat shuts down SC highway

A suspected illegal immigrant was arrested in South Carolina on Thursday after officials say he made a fake bomb threat during a traffic stop which ultimately led to a section of Interstate 85 being shut down for nearly five hours.

Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi, 28, was stopped at around 2:45 p.m. by state transport police for having a missing license plate on his tractor trailer, according to the South Carolina Dept. of Public Safety (SCDPS).

That’s when Alhendi told a police officer that there was an explosive device inside the commercial vehicle. 

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All six lanes of I-85 were subsequently shut down as the threat was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the FBI. 

The shutdown, which took place near Mile Marker 44, led to long delays and bumped to bumper traffic. 

The 18-wheeler was eventually cleared and all lanes of I-85 were reopened at approximately 7:40 p.m.

Alhendi appeared in court on Friday and was charged with conveying false information about a bomb threat, breach of peace of high and aggravated nature, and no having no vehicle license.

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He was issued a total surety bond of $20,238 for all three charges and sent to the Greenville County Detention Center, Fox Carolina reports. 

A Greenville County Detention Center spokesperson told Fox News Digital that Alhendi was placed on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer, a holding notice of a potential illegal immigrant who could be removed from the country.

Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE and the FBI for more information on Alhendi. 

SCDPS said that the tractor-trailer is registered with Globe Transportation in Illinois.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed to Fox News Digital that Alhendi works for Globe Transportation, but the company was not making any statements at that time.