From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
The Harford County Narcotics Task Force (HCNTF) recently concluded a lengthy investigation into Karon Peoples, 23 years of age of Baltimore City, for suspected trafficking and dealing, in addition to being linked to several non-fatal overdoses in Harford and surrounding counties.
Through covert investigation, confidential sources, and surveillance of Peoples, the HCNTF was able to develop sufficient probable cause to obtain a search warrant for Peoples’ vehicle, and residences located in the 6000 block of Frankford Avenue and the unit block of West Lexington Street.
Peoples was arrested on December 7, 2017, after the search warrant on his vehicle proved him to be in possession of approximately 70 grams of suspected heroin. Search warrants were then executed on two Baltimore City residences linked to Peoples.
During the execution of a search warrant on the West Lexington Street address, approximately 900 grams of heroin with a street value of $110,000 was seized along with $405,000 in U.S currency.
Additionally, several items of narcotics paraphernalia, consistent with heroin distribution, were also recovered by investigators, to include a kilogram wrapper. Peoples was immediately charged by HCNTF Detectives in Baltimore City. Peoples was then federally indicted for Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin on January 4th in the US District Court for the district of Maryland.
Captain Lee Dunbar, Commander of the HCNTF, said, “This is a significant arrest and seizure of heroin and cash from a major player in the city that is trafficking and dealing this dangerous and deadly drug to our citizens here in Harford County. The seizure of almost a kilo of heroin with a street value of $110,000 and $405,000 in cash will definitely disrupt People’s operations and hopefully save lives. We know we need to do more, and we will continue to do more on the heroin and fentanyl front. The men and women of the HCNTF will continue to remain on the front lines of this fight and will continue to track down those dealers, no matter where they reside, that are selling this poison to our citizens. Our mission is to get these dealers, these killers, off our streets and for a very long time.”
The Harford County Narcotics Task Force is a highly trained, self-governing, multi-jurisdictional entity with a mission to investigate offenses in the areas of mid to upper level drug trafficking, while supporting and facilitating cooperation and coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement.
The Harford County Task Force is comprised of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police, Aberdeen Police Department, Bel Air Police Department, Havre de Grace Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Harford County States Attorney’s Office, working together to make Harford County a safer place to live.
I sure hope that $405,000 is going to pay the cost for Harford county sheriffs policing Baltimore city.
If they go to Baltimore City to catch those that are killing here that is fine by me. Only someone who supports criminals would feel otherwise.
Not a taxpayer are you?
They say the heroin is coming from Mexico maybe we can send sheriffs to Cancun…..
What a stupid comment. The investigation starts here in the County with the presence/overdoses of heroin. The investigation leads to Baltimore City. The Sheriffs can still take action. Read the law. Police officers, deputies and troopers have state wide jurisdiction to enforce criminal violations. They just have to charge the suspect in the jurisdiction where the alleged crime occurred.
Cool story but what does it have to do with keeping the money?
Yes a capitol idea! A self governing task force in Cancun. Im a little funny on things that are “self governing” as the article described the task force.
I’ve had my own bad experiences with the HCNTF and everyone knows how I feel about those issues. In my opinion, ALL drug laws are unconstitutional and enforcement of such “false” laws are illegal. However, when it comes to the scourge of Heroin or any substance that physically addicts and kills people, I believe that an actual public health crisis exists and some measures have to be allowed. Heroin is a poison that destroys the spirit, mind and the body of an individual and should be sought out and removed from the populace. If the supplies of such a poison are coming from sources in another jurisdiction, then those sources should be sought out as well. A person who grows wealthy from the harvest of such sorrow and is aware of the effects of such a dangerous substance they peddle to the public, is a criminal indeed. The amounts of cash that were seized from a person whom is so young, shows the potential and allurement of being part of such crimes. There is no question that the drugs were intended to be sold and not for a personal use. In cases such as this, I have to yield my stances on constitutional issues and believe that the HCNTF did seek to protect the public from a crisis. Let me be clear, Heroin and other opioids have been a crisis for far much longer than the government will admit and it should have been sought out with the urgency that we are now seeing a very long time ago.
It destroys the spirit, mind & body of said individual families & friends as well.