Hawai’i Police Department
Vice Section, Area II
Lieutenant Miles Chong
Phone: 326-4646, Ext. 226
August 7, 2009
Report No. C09022630

(Click image to see larger view.)
D. Ching		Recovered items in drug arrest		C. Ching

A Kailua-Kona couple was charged Friday (August 7), with drug, firearms and other offenses following their arrest Wednesday evening (August 5).

After a month-long investigation, officers from the Area II Vice Section served a search warrant at an Ahulani Street home in Kailua-Kona on Wednesday. Within the home, officers recovered more than seven pounds of powdered cocaine, 12 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 10 ounces of crystal methamphetamine, nearly a half pound of marijuana and four firearms. More than $6,000 cash was seized for forfeiture.

The drugs have a combined street value of more than $222,000.

Police charged 28-year-old Darren Ching and his wife, 21-year-old Cherlynne Ching, each with three counts of promoting a dangerous drug in the first degree, one count of promoting a dangerous drug in the second degree, two counts of methamphetamine trafficking, one count of promoting a detrimental drug, six counts of drug paraphernalia, nine firearms offenses, one count of theft and one count of endangering the welfare of a minor. Bail was set at $40,500 each.

The theft charge resulted from one of the recovered firearms being reported as stolen during a residential burglary earlier this year.

The endangering the welfare of a minor charge resulted from some of the drugs being in areas accessible by and in reach of the couple’s toddler.

The 21-month-old boy was taken into protective custody and turned over to Child Protective Services.