HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
EAST HAWAII CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION
CAPTAIN SAMUEL THOMAS
PHONE: 961-2251
SEPTEMBER 18, 2003
MEDIA RELEASE
Before it has been completely organized, the Hawaii County’s Police Department’s East Hawaii Ice Task Force has already conducted 10 search warrants and arrested 17 suspects over the past three weeks.
The search warrants have also resulted in the confiscation of nearly 174.7 grams of “ice,” or crystal methamphetamine; the recovery of seven firearms; and the seizure of $12,843 in cash. Four of those arrested have been turned over to federal authorities for federal prosecution.
In addition, officers also confiscated 159.2 grams of marijuana, 0.2 grams of heroin, 29.5 grams of cocaine and 19 oxycodene pills.
So far, the East Hawaii Ice Task Force has one police officer, Detective Marshall Kanehailua. Kanehailua is working closely with the East Hawaii Vice Section, to which he was assigned until recently. Together, they identified possible “ice” houses in East Hawaii and obtained the search warrants.
Six of the 10 search warrants were in response to complaints received from the public.
“The Police Department thanks the public for reporting suspected drug activity, and we continue to encourage members of the public to call,” Captain Samuel Thomas, head of the Hawaii Criminal Investigation Division said.
The department is in the process of forming two ice task forces, one in East Hawaii and the other in West Hawaii. Each will be composed of a detective-sergeant and two senior police officers.
The task forces will concentrate solely on the Big Island’s “ice” problem.
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