HPD KEEPING DRUGS OFF HUB CITY STREETS

KUDOS TO the Hattiesburg Police Department, which has had several
high-profile drug busts in the last several months. The latest was
Wednesday, when police stopped two men - from Georgia and Texas - for
a traffic violation and ended up finding 37 kilograms of powered
cocaine, valued at more than $1.5 million.

Not bad for a day's work.

It came on top of a drug bust at a local man's home, also Wednesday,
where more than $50,000 in drug money and weapons were found.

The haul included $45,000 in cash; a pound of marijuana, street
valued at $2,000; an ounce of cocaine, with a street value of $800;
and seven cookies of crack cocaine, street valued at more than $5,600.

Some others:

On July 12, Hattiesburg police arrested a man at the Red Roof Inn and
snagged $80,000 worth of methamphetamines.

On April 1, police arrested two men and confiscated two pounds of
marijuana worth an estimated $3,000 in street value.

On March 31, police seized more than three pounds of marijuana with a
street value of $3,500.

On March 2, police seized more than 50 pounds of cocaine worth an
estimated $10 million in street value.

That high-stakes bust occurred on Interstate 59 North at the 60-mile
marker when a police officer stopped a truck that did not have
emergency lights on.

Some of these arrests have come from tips and leads. Others have been
the luck of the draw (or the traffic stop). But they are all the
result of good police work.

Congratulations to the officers involved and Chief Frazier Bolton.