Pubdate: Sat, 04 Nov 2000
Source: Lincoln Journal Star (NE)
Copyright: 2000 Lincoln Journal Star
Contact:  PO Box 81609, Lincoln, NE 68508
Fax: (402) 473-7291
Feedback: http://www.journalstar.com:80/info/about_ljs/letform
Website: http://www.journalstar.com/
Author: Margaret Reist, can be reached at 473-7226 or 3 1/2 POUNDS OF METH NABBED IN DRUG BUST

Narcotics officers descended on a home in north Lincoln early Thursday 
morning and came away with what could be the largest seizure of 
methamphetamine in Lincoln.

Officers who served the search warrant at 5744 Walker Ave. found 3 1/2 
pounds of methamphetamine, 6 ounces of cocaine and $110,000 cash.

Two people at the residence -- Dario A. Arreola, 18, and Miguel A. 
Rodriguez, 26 -- were arrested.

A day earlier, police had arrested Adel Martinez, 27, 6235 Holdrege St., 
No. 6B.

The officers had been conducting surveillance on the Walker Avenue home 
when they saw Martinez meet with one of the men from the house at a nearby 
corner.

They then followed the car Martinez was in to a parking lot at 48th and 
Leighton, where he was dropped off. The officers found 1/2 ounce of cocaine 
on Martinez, according to court documents.

Martinez, who has lived in Lincoln for some time, was charged with 
possession of cocaine.

Rodriguez and Arreola were charged with possession of cocaine with intent 
to deliver and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. 
Authorities said they were unsure how long the two had been in Lincoln.

All three men remained in the Lancaster County Jail Friday on $500,000 
bonds. They could be released by posting $50,000.

The bust was the result of a monthlong investigation.

"Police had been watching this and... (the narcotics task force) was 
convinced this was a surveillance that would probably yield a lot of drugs. 
And it did," said Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey.

The bust is indicative of a problem with methamphetamine that authorities 
say is exploding in Lancaster County.

"It seems to be growing dramatically," said Sgt. Bill Larsen with the 
Lincoln-Lancaster County Narcotics Unit. In this case -- given the amount 
of money involved -- there were probably more drugs than police recovered, 
he said.

Lacey and Larsen both said 3 1/2 pounds of methamphetamine is one of the 
largest seizures in Lincoln. In January, investigators seized 2 pounds of 
methamphetamine and indicted two people on federal conspiracy charges. In 
that case, prosecutors suspected one of the men indicted had brought in 18 
pounds of the drug from Arizona.

Authorities declined comment on where they suspect the 3 1/2 pounds came 
from in this case.
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