Nearly half a million dollars in drug money is off the street thanks to some good police work by the Detroit Police Department.
The raid happened at a check cashing place and a small business next door at the intersection of Connor and East Warren. Police say they’ve been watching these establishments for quite some time.
"They were operating selling marijuana as if this was already a recreational state," said Lt. Jonathan Parnell with Detroit police.
Two businesses raided on the city’s east side – one an unlicensed recreational marijuana dispensary.
"We already knew that the location was not licensed," Parnell said. "It’s not licensed through LARA with the state of Michigan. There’s no application, it was just a nondescript building."
Police had been keeping a close eye on the businesses for weeks.
"Conducted surveillance on this location and actually carried out two undercover buys from this location," Parnell said. "We were able to develop probable cause where we were able to execute a search warrant here next door and as well as both of the suspects' residences."
Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of drug money was confiscated. The amount of cash found at the business was more than $150,000. At the owners home, another $240,000.
"They were rather surprised, but they were taken into custody without incident," Parnell said.
Two men in their 30s were arrested and are now facing possession with intent to deliver narcotics charges. Also, it wasn’t just marijuana police found during the raid that has them concerned.
"Preliminarily, one of those substances tested for heroin and the amount that we found was in the area of 400 grams," Parnell said. "There was some other substances found. They’re suspected of being fentanyl, so they have to be handled with care."
Police say there are other unlicensed businesses operating similar to this establishment, and they say those businesses too will be raided and shutdown.
