Variety, the Spice of Crime

August brought a few odd entries in the variety category of the drug biz. Perhaps it’s just a reflection of the diversity you find in Oregon – we have foreign nationals, exotic drug dealers and a fortified house, complete with explosives.

In Portland, two Chinese nationals were arrested as part of a marijuana bust. They are accused of operating three grow houses and more than 2 million dollars worth of the plant were seized. Apparently, their modus operandi included tapping directly into power lines so they wouldn’t have to pay the high electric bills that come with running lights 24/7. Police estimated about $8,000 dollars worth of power was stolen every month in this operation.

But then comes a story out of Lakeview, where State Troopers arrested a man for drugs after a traffic stop. They found an odd assortment of products in his car. Not the usual cocaine or methamphetamine, and just a bit of marijuana. The real prize was finding psilocybin mushrooms and LSD. Officers stated those are unusual because they don’t trigger drug dogs and are small and easy to conceal. No further details were released, but we might assume they were bound for the more eclectic drug market – perhaps one of our universities.

Finally, out of Lincoln County comes a story about an arrest for a small amount of marijuana and methamphetamine in a house there. What makes it noteworthy is what was found along with that: a “sophisticated” surveillance system and explosives – including blasting caps and det cord. Naturally, there were firearms as well. Little information was released about the four defendants. We’ll have to wait for trial to find out if they were hardcore right-wing freedom fighters or just people who liked to have guns and explosives around.

There is one lesson to be learned here. If you are in narcotics enforcement in Oregon and think you’ve seen it all – you probably haven’t.