Friday, January 26, 2007

While the number of drug arrests remained steady last year, Maui police
reported a surge in gambling arrests, most involving cockfighting, in 2006.
The total of 165 gambling arrests, which increased by 79 percent from 92
arrests in 2005, was due largely to 155 cockfighting arrests last year,
according to preliminary police statistics for 2006. At a Maui County Police
Commission meeting Wednesday, Capt. Gerald Matsunaga said the large number
of cockfighting arrests stemmed from police action after developing
intelligence that two organizations were trying to step in to such illegal
operations on Maui. Matsunaga, who heads the Vice Division, said two
organizations that previously ran cockfights on Maui were "totally
dismantled" in 2004 when 35 people were indicted following a yearlong
undercover investigation called "Operation Down The Hatch." The two groups
had organized cockfights involving thousands of dollars in bets at the old
Maui High School campus at Hamakuapoko, Old Maui Block in Waikapu and at the
Kahului end of the drag strip at Maui Raceway Park in Puunene. In 2005,
police reported making 67 cockfighting arrests before the number of arrests
more than doubled last year. Matsunaga said police had information that one
cockfighting group was bringing people from Oahu to Maui and cited "quite a
few arrests of people from the island of Oahu" last year. Maui County police
reported 382 drug arrests last year, about the same as the 386 in 2005. The
amount of crystal methamphetamine seized by police increased from 12.5
pounds in 2005 to 16.25 pounds last year. The seizures included 29 grams of
ice recovered Dec. 19 when Lanai patrol officers and vice officers executed
a search warrant in Lanai City, said police Assistant Chief Wayne Ribao. He
said police also recovered more than $11,000 cash in the search. "For such a
small island, that hopefully will make quite an impact," Ribao said. Nestor
R. Raqueno, 46, of Lanai City was arrested and released after posting
$24,000 bail on charges of two counts each of second-degree methamphetamine
trafficking and possessing drug paraphernalia. Court records show Raqueno
had drug and other charges dismissed in October 2003 after he successfully
completed the Maui Drug Court program of treatment and supervision.

Matsunaga said the amount of drugs seized by police "might not be indicative
of what's happening out on the streets."

While recent news reports have cited an increase in cocaine arrests and
seizures, Matsunaga said the 5.5 pounds of the drug seized in Maui County
last year compared with 10.5 pounds seized in 2005, 3.1 pounds in 2004 and
14.25 pounds in 2003.

"In Maui County, we don't think it's on its way back," he said. "We think it
never left."

For the first time, Matsunaga said police saw a decrease in marijuana plants
recovered, largely through Green Harvest operations.

Last year, 44,452 marijuana plants were confiscated, down from 82,332 plants
in 2005. The seizure of processed marijuana increased, however, from 24
pounds in 2005 to 36.5 pounds last year.

In the last few years, Matsunaga said police have seen more marijuana
imported into the county, mostly from the West Coast and Canada. He said the
increase in imported marijuana is probably due to the success of marijuana
eradication efforts.

Police also have seen an increase in indoor marijuana-growing operations,
Matsunaga said. Last year, police found nine indoor-growing operations, up
from one in 2005.

Heroin "might be on its way back," Matsunaga said, citing statistics showing
the seizure of 11.5 ounces of the drug last year, compared with 6 grams in
2005.