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In separate incidents in Phoenix last week, drug busts focused on both methamphetamine and a marijuana growing operation.
The first bust resulted from an operation in west Phoenix by the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force. When all was said and done, while the bust led to only one arrest, the charges included possession of over 50 pounds of meth. Police say the suspect was also in possession of cocaine, a semi-automatic handgun, and thousands of dollars in cash.
For those of our readers who are not schooled in the details of meth use, an ounce is ordinarily good for over 100 “hits.” At that rate, the amount of the drug seized would provide users with tens of thousands of hits. The authorities says that the meth is valued at $1,000,000. They add that this haul came from Mexico, and was not manufactured in a local lab.
At about the same time, officers from the Department of Public Safety raided another home in Phoenix. They say this operation began with a traffic stop earlier in the week on Interstate 10, during which a canine unit discovered pounds of what was described as “high-grade northern California marijuana.” The driver was arrested, and the investigation ultimately resulted in a raid on a house in which 100 pot plants, along with sophisticated growing equipment, were seized. The driver now faces charges including transportation and cultivation of marijuana, money laundering, and weapons offenses. The latter charges were based upon the seizure of handguns and an AK-47 assault rifle.
We’re not sure of what to make of these and similar busts, which are reported on a regular basis. We suppose one could conclude that these are, as is often stated by law enforcement, major inroads on stopping the drug trade. On the other hand, if the drug war is so successful, why does there appear to be no letup in the supply of drugs? Based upon what is reported in the news, you might conclude that the illegal drug trade is flourishing.
Law Offices of David A. Black
40 North Central Avenue #1850
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(480) 280-8028
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