Just google “Drug busts on I40” and you will see why so many people get pulled over on I40. It’s a lucrative fertile field for farming drug runners.
I’ve driven through New Mexico on I40 several times and usually get pulled over and ticketed for something. Speeding, my brother wasn’t wearing his seat belt, and changing lanes without signalling. Every time it was by a State Trooper and they requested to search the car .... well they didn’t really request, just stated they wanted to. I always say: “I do not agree to a car search, however if you insist on conducting a search unauthorized by me I’ll just peacefully stand over yonder until you’re done.
The worst one happened 3 days after Oklahoma City bombing. Kept me on the side of the road for quite some time until he could get authorization. It ended up being “Well, the law allows us to search the immediate vicinity of the driver, so he ended up searching, sniffing my driver side. Then ticketed my brother (the passenger lol).
This is about an individual who just pulled out of a Walmart parking lot.