Coast Guard seizes boat and
121 lbs. marijuana off Orcas Island
posted 12/11/01
The Coast Guard discovered and seized four duffle bags containing approximately 121 pounds of marijuana from a boat in the vicinity of Orcas Island shortly after noon Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001.
During a routine boarding, Coast Guard Station Bellingham crewmembers noticed four hockey-style bags aboard a 21-ft. boat that was transiting from Victoria, B.C. to Anacortes. An investigation revealed the bags were filled with marijuana.
The Coast Guard detained the owner, a Canadian national, and escorted his boat to Bellingham. Customs Service agents then arrested the owner and took custody of his vessel and the contraband items.
27 pounds of cocaine seized on Orcas Island
posted 10/26/01
Four Canadian citizens were arrested and 27 pounds of cocaine were seized on the west side of Orcas Island just after midnight last night (Thursday, Oct. 25). Three U.S. Customs officers, a canine unit, a customs plane, two San Juan County Detectives and two deputies were involved in the drug bust.
Sheriff Bill Cumming said Det. Ed Commet began working on the case weeks ago. After his surveillance revealed an escalation of activity U.S. Customs was alerted. Cumming praised the work of Commet and his fellow detective Jeff Asher as well as deputies Steve Vierthaler and Ray Clever.
If the cocaine was sold at $100 per gram, its value would be $1.2 million dollars. Cumming said it looked like the cocaine was intended as a trans shipment to Canada.
The four men arrested -- Paul Alexander Michael Smith, 23; Theodore Robert Dreger, 27; Craig Michael Rafufe, 34; and David Luke Serdar, 22 --were transported to the mainland and are in federal custody. A boat used by the four men was seized and is secure at a remote location.
Marijuana drug bust on Orcas Island
posted 11/29/00
Two Orcas Island residents are charged with felony drug charges after a five-month investigation. Paul Benjamin Carroll, 30, and Kelly Elizabeth Nixon, 37, are charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance -- marijuana. Carroll is also charged with one count of possession with intent to deliver.
The couple are accused of selling marijuana to an informant on July 19 and 20, 2000. On Nov. 21, 2000 their home was searched and six ounces of marijuana, electronic scales used for weighing marijuana, packaging material and pipes were discovered. Carroll had $960 in his possession. According to the prosecuting attorney's affadavit, Carroll told deputies the money was from drug sales.
Nixon and Carroll will be arraigned in Superior Court Dec. 4, 2000. Each of the three counts carries a sentence of up to five years in prison and/or up to $10,000 in fines.
Four nabbed in drug busts
posted 11/14/00
Four San Juan Island residents were arrested on suspicion of drug dealing over the past four days in two unrelated drug busts. Two young men were charged with delivery of cocaine, and a 36-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman may also face delivery of a controlled substance charges.
In San Juan County Superior Court yesterday, Nov. 13, Jeffrey Scott Bryant, 18, was charged with two counts of delivery of controlled substance - cocaine. William Merle Turman, 22, was charged with one count of delivery of a controlled substance - cocaine. Delivery of cocaine is a felony with a maximum prison term of 10 years and the maximum fine of $25,000.
Prosecutors allege Bryant sold 1/2 gram of cocaine to an informant on Sept. 25 and sold another 1/2 gram to the informant again on Oct. 5. Turman allegedly sold the informant 1/2 gram of cocaine on Oct. 3, according to charging documents. Bryant and Turman were arrested on Nov. 12. Both are being held on $5,000 bail.
The 36-year-old man -- arrested about noon yesterday, Nov. 13, on suspicion of mutiple counts of delivery of drugs -- had been "under investigation for a period of time,", said Sheriff Bill Cumming. The 36-year-old man will likely appear in court today (Nov. 14, 2000).
The 31-year-old woman was arrested, booked and released on Nov. 13. Sheriff's deputies forwarded information about her to prosecutors for charging decisions, Cumming said.
Bust nets 150 pounds of pot worth $.75 million
posted 04/20/00
A two-week stakeout of three Canadians paid off for San Juan County deputies and U.S. Customs agents. Two men and a woman were caught yesterday, April 19, with an estimated $765,000 worth of marijuana, said San Juan County Sheriff Bill Cumming.
The three were arrested after making a delivery, Cumming said. The men were contacted while in a boat on the west side of Orcas Island. Agents found 103 pounds of pot on the 18-foot Boston Whaler, Cumming said. The woman was stopped by Anacortes Police and Customs agents, who recovered 50 pounds of marijuana from her rented car, Cumming said.
The pot, "high-grade, B.C.-grown marijuana," was probably destined for Los Angeles, where it could be sold for $5,000 per pound, Cumming said.
U.S. Customs agents, who provided an agent, a boat, a dog and handler for the operation, now have custody the suspected drug smugglers in custody. The trio will probably be charged in U.S. federal court with illegal transporting of a controlled substance, Cumming said.
Sheriff's deputies seized the Whaler, its 225-horspower motor and some dive gear.
Sgt. Steve Vierthaler, Detective Ed Commet and Deputy Herb Crowe participated in the bust, Cumming said.
288 lbs. of marijuana seized
after being smuggled in boats
posted 02/11/00
U.S. Customs officers arrested three alleged drug smugglers in three separate drug busts in San Juan County waters during the past few days.
Customs officers observed a motor boat leaving Sidney, B.C. on Feb. 10. They boarded the boat near Stuart Island and seized 120 lbs. of marijuana. The 29-year-old Vancouver, B.C. man aboard the boat was held in the county holding facility before being transferred to federal agents in Seattle.
On the same day, a 48-year-old Nanaimo woman was arrested in Roche Harbor after customs officers boarded her boat and seized 150 lbs. of marijuana. The sailboat was leased. The woman was taken to the county holding facility before being transferred to federal agents in Seattle.
On Valentine's Day, a U.S. Customs officer contacted San Juan County sheriff's department for assistance with a possible smuggling operation in progress near Sucia Island.
U.S. Customs officers came up beside a 21-foot sailboat which was under sail. They told the 35-year-old Vancouver, B.C. man at the helm to pull the sail down and prepare to be boarded. The suspect threw two black gym bags overboard and then placed his hands on his head.
The bags were recovered and contained 18.5 lbs. of marijuana. 35 grams of hash was also confiscated. The suspect, contraband and sailboat were taken to Bellingham.
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