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Federal agents are on the hunt for more than 1,700 pounds of marijuana that disappeared during a controlled drug delivery from Memphis to Kentucky.
Members of the Interstate Interdiction Unit pulled over a tractor trailer on Feb. 10 that contained 1,700 pounds of marijuana, according to a Memphis Police Department travel memo obtained under Tennessee's public records law.
Drug Enforcement Administration officials asked that the load be delivered to its destination in Louisville while officers trailed the shipment. MPD officers and two Shelby County sheriff's deputies accompanied the load, according to the memo.
Things went awry in the Bluegrass State.
According to law enforcement officials with knowledge of the delivery, officials watched the tractor trailer travel to its intended destination. Soon after, several vehicles pulled up, left and then came back. They stayed several hours and then left. When officials later checked the tractor trailer, the drugs were gone.
"DEA is conducting an investigation into drug trafficking, and I can't comment any further than that," said Keith Brown, resident agent-in-charge of the Memphis DEA office.
Tom Gorman, assistant special agent-in-charge of the Louisville district office of DEA, also had no comment.
David Lytal, special agent-in charge of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, which covers the region that includes Shelby County, said a pound of marijuana sold in bulk could be worth anywhere between $300 to more than $1,000, depending on the type.
That means the 1,700 pounds officials uncovered could be worth between $500,000 to more than $1 million. Lytal's task force was not involved in the Feb. 10 operation.
Harvey Kennedy, chief administrative officer for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, said he has no records related to the case. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Shular referred calls to the local office of the DEA.
Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin said he didn't think it was appropriate to comment on an ongoing DEA investigation and referred questions to the local federal office.
Something smells funny.
Members of the Interstate Interdiction Unit pulled over a tractor trailer on Feb. 10 that contained 1,700 pounds of marijuana, according to a Memphis Police Department travel memo obtained under Tennessee's public records law.
Drug Enforcement Administration officials asked that the load be delivered to its destination in Louisville while officers trailed the shipment. MPD officers and two Shelby County sheriff's deputies accompanied the load, according to the memo.
Things went awry in the Bluegrass State.
According to law enforcement officials with knowledge of the delivery, officials watched the tractor trailer travel to its intended destination. Soon after, several vehicles pulled up, left and then came back. They stayed several hours and then left. When officials later checked the tractor trailer, the drugs were gone.
"DEA is conducting an investigation into drug trafficking, and I can't comment any further than that," said Keith Brown, resident agent-in-charge of the Memphis DEA office.
Tom Gorman, assistant special agent-in-charge of the Louisville district office of DEA, also had no comment.
David Lytal, special agent-in charge of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, which covers the region that includes Shelby County, said a pound of marijuana sold in bulk could be worth anywhere between $300 to more than $1,000, depending on the type.
That means the 1,700 pounds officials uncovered could be worth between $500,000 to more than $1 million. Lytal's task force was not involved in the Feb. 10 operation.
Harvey Kennedy, chief administrative officer for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, said he has no records related to the case. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Shular referred calls to the local office of the DEA.
Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin said he didn't think it was appropriate to comment on an ongoing DEA investigation and referred questions to the local federal office.
Something smells funny.
