Prescott's fight against illicit drugs ratcheted up a notch last week as Partners Against Narcotics Trafficking, better known as PANT, clamped down on suspected drug dealers in a series of busts. In an operation that unfolded on March 13th, detectives initiated a traffic stop where they found the driver in possession of more than the personal use threshold with over 4 grams of cocaine and 25.5 grams of Xanax. The suspect had earlier been seen leaving a storage facility, tipping off the detectives to possibly more hidden contraband.
The subsequent search warrant led to a storage unit brimming with illicit substances: 27 grams of cocaine, roughly 500 Adderall pills, 15 grams of Ketamine, and over 1,000 Xanax bars, as reported by the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office. The seized narcotics led to several drug-related charges against the suspect, whom the authorities have yet to publicly name.
A follow-up arrest by the U.S. Marshals on Sunday evening in Prescott Valley illustrates the ongoing saga against drug proliferation. A man, already on the U.S. Marshals' radar, was apprehended with over 22 grams of cocaine and a concealed pistol. Consequently, PANT detectives were brought into the fray, leading to a search at a Castle Canyon Mesa residence associated with the suspect. What they unearthed was telling: more firearms, including a rifle, body armor, and an additional ounce of cocaine, signaling a mix of drug dealing and potential violence.
The suspect, now facing a gauntlet of charges including drug-related offenses, his outstanding arrest warrant, and weapons misconduct due to being a prohibited possessor, remains in custody.
