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Police snuff out heroin at house

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by Bridget Roby

Friday, October 19, 2007

A Dane County law enforcement agency announced Thursday they confiscated more than a kilogram of heroin from a south Madison residence last week, making it what is believed to be the largest single seizure of heroin in Dane County history.

According to a release from the Madison Police Department, the 1,115 grams of heroin had an approximate street value of $150,000.

"We made contact with an individual who had on his person more than a kilo of cocaine," said MPD public information officer Joel DeSpain. "After that, we went to a residence that he’s affiliated with and that’s where we seized the heroin and the weapons."

The Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force confiscated 1,104 grams of cocaine — worth approximately $100,000 — from the man they initially apprehended, along with 1,115 grams of heroin, 230.6 grams of cocaine base and 326.7 grams of cocaine from the residence.

The Task Force also seized a 9 mm semi-auto handgun, a 5 shot .38 revolver, .38 hollow point ammo and a cocaine press at the residence.

DeSpain said the heroin the Task Force confiscated was a dangerous and possibly lethal form. By getting it off the streets, he said the Task Force may have saved many lives.

"Every year, we have heroin deaths in the city," DeSpain said. "This stuff was just so pure that if people ingested it in the form it’s in right now, they would have been killed."

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is currently involved in the investigation. According to the release, investigators said this was significant seizure, and it will likely make a noticeable dent in the local supply of heroin.

The names of those associated with the seizures have not been released, DeSpain said, due to the sensitive nature of the investigation and to protect some involved in the case.

"The feds are sort of bottling things up," DeSpain said.

According to Assistant District Attorney Mike Verveer, the man arrested is currently being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Madison. Verveer estimates the man is facing "significant exposure in the federal prison system," with multiple years behind bars.

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