Authorities in Kodiak arrested four people and seized an estimated $74,000 worth of heroin and methamphetamine early Sunday after serving search warrants at three homes.
The search netted roughly 120 grams of heroin and about 146 grams of meth, according to a release from the Kodiak Police Department. In Kodiak, a gram of heroin and meth go for about $500 and $200 respectively, according to a narcotics detective who does nondescript work in the area and requested to not be named.
Also seized were more than $23,000 in cash and nine firearms, including an illegal sawed-off shotgun and an FN-57 “armor piercing” assault pistol, the release says.
The raid was part of an ongoing drug investigation by Kodiak police with support from the FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard. Joseph Garcia, 27; Danielle Juarez, 33; Virginia Andrewvitch, 36; and Wayne Buck, 36, were arrested on felony drug and weapon charges related to the investigation.
All four were charged with second-degree controlled substance and weapon misconduct — both felonies.
Buck was also charged with third-degree controlled substance misconduct and violating conditions of release. Juarez was additionally charged with third-degree controlled substance misconduct and Garcia with fourth-degree controlled substance misconduct.
Earlier this month, state health officials released a report showing how a spike in heroin use across the state has resulted in more drug-related deaths and hospitalizations in recent years. Kodiak police have teamed up with other agencies to try to reduce the influx of the drug.
“This level of drugs off our streets is incredible in terms that the amount of drugs that’s not going to get to the citizens of Kodiak, to the ones tied up in this kind of activity,” said KPD Chief Ronda Wallace.
Contact Hope Miller at hmiller@ktva.com and @HopeMiller
