Police arrested two more suspects on March 1 in connection to a drug investigation that involved the sale and distribution of illegal drugs, mainly cocaine. The Mustang Drug Task Force seized about 50 grams of crack cocaine during the investigation.
“There were a few other drugs, including pills and marijuana, but 95 percent of it was crack cocaine,” Mustang Drug Task Force Sgt. Shannon Jeffries said.
The Mustang Drug Task Force arrested William A. Hill, 25, and Adrian L. Wright, 21, of Columbia on suspicion of distribution and trafficking charges.
“Those are investigations that came from the MDTF from one of our undercover officers, who made undercover drug purchases from those individuals,” Jeffries said.
Some of those investigations lasted as long as one to two years. The Mustang Drug Task Force gets the majority of their leads from local law enforcement and confidential tips.
Most of the drugs that were found were cocaine base or crack cocaine, Jeffries said. In drug roundup investigations, arrests are typically made at once, rather than when a suspect is confirmed.
“It protects the identity of the undercover officer a lot more,” Jeffries said. “If we immediately made an arrest right away, he wouldn’t be undercover anymore.”
In late February, Columbia Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, Mustang Drug Task Force and the Fayette Police Department made six arrests on charges of delivery or manufacturing of narcotics, the first in a series of warrants.
“Our biggest part of it was, because most of the people involved with it were from Columbia, making the arrests,” CPD spokeswoman Jill Wieneke said. “It’s kind of a support role.”
Police also had warrants for the arrests of four other suspects who were already in custody on other charges, a CPD news release stated.
“The idea behind a drug task force is that drug rings have no jurisdictional boundaries,” Jeffries said. “People in Columbia go outside of Columbia to get or sell dugs. They’re not bound by jurisdictions like law enforcements are.”
Nine other suspects are still wanted for outstanding warrants related to the investigation.
“They’ll get their day in court and will be found guilty or not guilty,” Jeffries said. “First time offense, they may get a probation. If they have a lengthy history, they may go to jail.”
The Mustang Drug Task Force typically does roundups like this once or twice a year.
“Columbia does have an issue with drugs in the area,” Jeffries said. “I don’t know statistically if it’s more or less than Jefferson City or Kansas City or even St. Louis, but if you compare it with some of the smaller cities around it, it is a lot.”
