News (Media Awareness Project) - US TX: 'Hundreds' Of Stash Houses Operate In Area, Official |
| Title: | US TX: 'Hundreds' Of Stash Houses Operate In Area, Official |
| Published On: | 2007-05-16 |
| Source: | El Paso Times (TX) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-08-17 02:43:32 |
'HUNDREDS' OF STASH HOUSES OPERATE IN AREA, OFFICIAL SAYS
Recent multi-ton marijuana seizures in El Paso were due to a web of
stash houses in neighborhoods across the city and in surrounding
towns, narcotics experts said.
How many stash houses are there in El Paso? "Hundreds. There is no
doubt about it," said Robert Almonte, retired head of the El Paso
police narcotics section and now executive director of the Texas
Narcotics Officers Association.
On Friday, El Paso police made their largest seizure of the year when
narcotics detectives found 4,934 pounds of marijuana in a house in
the 3800 block of Alabama Street, police said.
The case is one of about 30 stash-house busts this year -- about the
average number -- police spokes man Officer Chris Mears said.
A complaint affidavit filed by a detective showed that the house was
under surveillance as part of a drug investigation. Police arrested
Ericka Romo, 32, and her husband, Alejandro Romo, 31, as they drove
away from the house. Each was charged with possession of marijuana
over 2,000 pounds, a crime punishable by up to life in prison.
Court records show that Ericka Romo was indicted Feb. 21 on a charge
of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
The raid was one of three large seizures this month. On May 7, El
Paso County sheriff's deputies found about 2,000 pounds of marijuana
in a stalled van abandoned by two men on Timberwolf Drive. On May 3,
the Dona Ana County narcotics officers seized 4,910 pounds of
marijuana at a home in Chaparral, N.M.
Cmdr. Claudio "Tony" Morales, who oversees the sheriff's Criminal
Enterprise Unit, said in a statement that residents can help by
reporting suspicious activity, including different vehicles arriving
at a home at odd hours.
"That marijuana (seized) did not arrive at one time. Usually, it is
70 to 100 pounds at a time," Almonte theorized.
"A stash house is basically a location of packing and repacking and
redistribution of drugs across the country. Really, we prevented
those drugs from reaching the streets of cities across the nation."
Recent multi-ton marijuana seizures in El Paso were due to a web of
stash houses in neighborhoods across the city and in surrounding
towns, narcotics experts said.
How many stash houses are there in El Paso? "Hundreds. There is no
doubt about it," said Robert Almonte, retired head of the El Paso
police narcotics section and now executive director of the Texas
Narcotics Officers Association.
On Friday, El Paso police made their largest seizure of the year when
narcotics detectives found 4,934 pounds of marijuana in a house in
the 3800 block of Alabama Street, police said.
The case is one of about 30 stash-house busts this year -- about the
average number -- police spokes man Officer Chris Mears said.
A complaint affidavit filed by a detective showed that the house was
under surveillance as part of a drug investigation. Police arrested
Ericka Romo, 32, and her husband, Alejandro Romo, 31, as they drove
away from the house. Each was charged with possession of marijuana
over 2,000 pounds, a crime punishable by up to life in prison.
Court records show that Ericka Romo was indicted Feb. 21 on a charge
of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
The raid was one of three large seizures this month. On May 7, El
Paso County sheriff's deputies found about 2,000 pounds of marijuana
in a stalled van abandoned by two men on Timberwolf Drive. On May 3,
the Dona Ana County narcotics officers seized 4,910 pounds of
marijuana at a home in Chaparral, N.M.
Cmdr. Claudio "Tony" Morales, who oversees the sheriff's Criminal
Enterprise Unit, said in a statement that residents can help by
reporting suspicious activity, including different vehicles arriving
at a home at odd hours.
"That marijuana (seized) did not arrive at one time. Usually, it is
70 to 100 pounds at a time," Almonte theorized.
"A stash house is basically a location of packing and repacking and
redistribution of drugs across the country. Really, we prevented
those drugs from reaching the streets of cities across the nation."
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