Authorities Bust Maui Marijuana Trafficking Operation
Officials Say Suspicious Freight Traveled From California
POSTED: 3:44 pm HST August 18, 2009
UPDATED: 5:01 pm HST August 18, 2009


HONOLULU -- Maui police and federal and state agents made arrests involving a marijuana trafficking operation from California to the Valley Isle, officials said.



Maui Police Department Photo
Maui police say they found 130 pounds of processed marijuana at a freight company.

Members of the Maui Police Department, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Hawaii Airport Task Force participated in the investigation.

Maui police said they received information about suspicious pieces of freight being sent from California to Maui through a private freight company. On Aug. 12, officers searched several boxes that had arrived on Maui. During the search, authorities said they found about 130 pounds of processed marijuana.

The street value of the marijuana is about $841,600, Maui police said.

The next day, authorities executed a search warrant on a private storage facility in Kahului. There they said they found about 1.5 pounds of processed marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Authorities arrested a 37-year-old woman from Kula, who is a South African citizen.

Immigration officials took her to Oahu to face federal proceedings.



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