In Salt Lake City's continuing effort to clamp down on local drug issues, a 39-year-old man found himself in cuffs after leading police on a foot chase. The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Bike Squad made the arrest late at night in the Poplar Grove neighborhood, a known haven for narcotic activities. As reported by SLCPD, the incident transpired on March 1, around 11 p.m., near 800 West and North Temple.
The officers, who had been patrolling the area due to its reputation for illicit drug use, noticed several individuals seemingly engaged in drug activity. The situation escalated when Basim Ali, upon noticing the officers' emergency lights, decided to run. The police gave chase and subsequently detained Ali. A search of his person unveiled multiple bags of a white, crystalline substance, later confirmed to be cocaine and methamphetamine, alongside marijuana vape pens, some plant marijuana, and drug paraphernalia typically used for meth consumption.
According to the SLCPD, this wasn't the suspect's first run-in with the law. He had been arrested on similar charges not even a week earlier. With the repeat offense in mind, officers are pushing for more stringent detention conditions. Ali now finds himself booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on multiple charges, including four counts of distribution of a controlled substance.
