HARPER WOODS, Mich. – With help from the Michigan State Police, the Missaukee County Sheriff’s Department served several search warrants in metro Detroit early Wednesday morning.
The warrants are related to drug trafficking and were executed in Harper Woods, Oak Park and Detroit.
Missaukee County Sheriff Jim Bosscher told Local 4 the raids are the result of a five-year investigation. He said they were following drugs coming from the Detroit area that were sold in Missaukee County, which is east of Cadillac.
“A large amount of heroin and crack cocaine has been pouring into northern Michigan,” Bosscher said.“We are down here arresting the people and they will be brought up to the Grand Traverse area to face prosecution.”
In metro Detroit, three people were arrested Wednesday morning; two males and a female. They could be arraigned as early as this afternoon.
Bosscher said those accused were selling the drugs up north because they are worth more there; it’s a matter of supply and demand.
“What they would do is take the drugs up north which typically sell for $100 a gram (in Detroit) and selling for $250-300 per gram,” he said.
He added that over the past five years, at least 19,000 grams of heroin and 10,000 grams of crack cocaine have been sold. Based on the sales, it’s believed more than $7 million exchanged hands.
In the raids drugs, guns and financial records were seized, which is really what investigators were after.
“Green dot cards, credit cards, pre-paid cards and so forth, which are typically used in the drug trade now," Bosscher said.
Additionally, at least a dozen arrest warrants for dealers are also being executed in the Traverse City area.
Stay with Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit for updates.
Heroin Overdoses 2002 to 2014 in the United States | HealthGrove