2 men arrested for alleged drug trafficking

Troopers with the Louisiana State Police Investigative Bureau arrested two men for allegedly trafficking in drugs. The arrests occurred on Feb. 11 at the Alexandria International Airport.

Law enforcement authorities reportedly received a tip regarding the men acting suspiciously at the airport with their private plane. Upon conducting a search of the plane, authorities reportedly found drugs, including in excess of 34 pounds of high quality marijuana and 550 grams of hash. Troopers were assisted in the search by a Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department K-9 dog, which alerted on the plane for the presence of drugs.

The men were arrested. One is a 37-year-old Gulf Shores, Alabama, man while the other is a 40-year-old Grass Valley, California, man. The plane was a private plane belonging to the 40-year-old California man. During the course of interviewing the two men, they reportedly told authorities the marijuana and hashish were bound for Mardi Gras celebrations. The drugs had an estimated street value of $160,000. The men reportedly revealed that the 37-year-old man had flown the two of them from Boulder City, Nevada, with the drugs. They were both taken into custody at the Rapides Parish Detention Center pending resolution of their charges of possession of a CDS Schedule 1 with the intent to distribute. There is no word on whether bond has been set for either man.

Possession with intent to distribute charges can expose people to the potential of significant prison sentences. When people are accused of trafficking drugs across state lines in interstate commerce, the federal government might also prosecute them under federal law. It is possible for people to be charged under both state and federal law for the same trafficking and possession activity. Those charged with these types of crimes may want to get help from a criminal defense attorney.

Source: KPLC, “Drug traffickers arrested in Alexandria”, Laura Heller, Feb. 12, 2015