From Deseret News archives:
Probe of car sales leads to drug bust
There was nothing special about the cars, other than the fact the men were selling them unlawfully. It's a class A misdemeanor to do so, said Kip Ingersoll, the division's assistant director.
But when investigators served a search warrant to one of the men, they found 11 guns and a pound of marijuana.
One bust later and the motor vehicle enforcement officers had seized another 12 1/2 pounds of pot packaged in one-gallon freezer bags.
The street value of the marijuana is estimated to be between $6,500 and $19,500, Ingersoll said.
The guns, mostly rifles, were placed on a table with the confiscated drugs in what became a herbally scented room during a press conference at the Utah State Tax Commission's offices Tuesday afternoon.
"This all started with people selling cars without a license," Ingersoll said.
The two men officers are calling them both John Doe because they haven't verified one man's identity yet had used a newspaper's classified advertisements to sell the cars.
One of the search warrants was served in Murray and led to the serving of another in South Salt Lake. In South Salt Lake, officers found parts left over from a BMW that had been stolen and almost completely stripped of its parts.
One of the arrested men is a restricted person and isn't permitted to have firearms in his possession. He may be facing firearms charges.
"We get uncomfortable when we find firearms with narcotics distribution," Ingersoll said.
The division investigates auto theft and other vehicle-related crimes, as well as fraud related to motor vehicle commerce.
E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com
Comments
- Oil falls below $79 7:53 a.m.
- Stocks open lower 7:53 a.m.
- Iranian Consulate fatally shot 7:49 a.m.
- AP poll: Family dinner survives 7:47 a.m.
- Palestinian election may be called off 7:45 a.m.
- Balloon boy parents to plead guilty 7:44 a.m.
- Intel to pay AMD $1.25B settlement 7:42 a.m.
- Jobless claims fall to 502K 7:40 a.m.
- Obama to want revised war options 7:39 a.m.
- Will state consider gay rights law? 7:11 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- Crash kills Utah County man
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Will state consider gay rights law?
- Long days for BYU interns
- House passes health care bill
288 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
251 - TCU showdown has big implications
195 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
101 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
100
This week, I'm compiling my annual list of restaurants serving...
re Bob | 8:03 a.m. Nov. 12, 2009 "As a property owner I should have the...
the vocal, ignorant in this case, minority who say Sloan is part of the...
I like RSL and what it brings to Utah, I love the World Cup and is one of...
you are right BYU was not in the same class this year as TCU, but you were...
He has been so great and fun to watch in the NCAA Tournament. I really think...
I hope both teams play hard. I know SJ has hit the weights in the offseason...
Ya, it's tough when an athletic team like Utah wins the conference last year,...
Boozer's mouth and previous statements are an issue mostly with the fans and...
We all know that there are no U fans, just BYU haters. Wouldn't is be nice...
A successful conclusion to a war means the enemy is no longer capable of...


You can be the first to comment on this story.