Pot-related asset seizures pay for more equipment, operations

By: JO MORELAND - Staff Writer | Thursday, April 1, 2004 11:20 PM PST ∞

San Diego County Integrated Narcotic Task Force agents got a fairly good return last year on their marijuana harvest. Officers assigned to the multi-agency unit got rid of 271,000 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of between $67.5 million and $270 million, depending on quality, task force officials said.

They said the agents also seized more than $6.3 million in cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, steroids, club drugs and hallucinogenic drugs.

It cost the task force about $9 million to make the seizures, based on salary and operations figures provided by most of the 16 participating agencies, including those who work in North County.

"From a cost benefit analysis, it's an extremely good deal for everybody," said Lt. Doyle Krouskop, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department supervisor assigned to the task force, known as NTF.

The agents made 472 drug arrests last year, 35 of them related to marijuana; found 13 meth labs, eight of them operational; and confiscated 58 weapons, 54 of them guns, officials said.

In addition to prosecution, drug dealers also lose any drug-related assets, including cash, houses and vehicles.

Money from asset seizures in NTF cases is divided among participating local, state and federal NTF agencies on a percentage basis, based on how much they did on each case.

Last year, task force agencies received $7,077,462 million in asset seizure money to buy a wide range of equipment and conduct operations.

"That actually helps us offset some of the costs of the public safety infrastructure here and elsewhere," said Brian W. Collier, of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Collier is the assistant special agent in charge of the 30-year-old task force, which operates out of DEA headquarters in San Diego.

The asset seizure money is useful, North County officers said, but just as important are the teams the task force provides to help with local drug problems.

"That (team) adds eight more people to our investigation," said detective Lt. David Mankin of the Escondido Police Department.

The task force also pays for cleaning up methamphetamine laboratories or marijuana plots found during investigations. It means local police don't have to pay $1,500 to get rid of a dismantled meth lab or marijuana growing site and up to $20,000 for an active meth lab, Mankin said.

State and local task force officers are sworn in as federal agents, which means cases worked by NTF agents can often get tough federal prosecution.

"Many cases go beyond Oceanside's resources," said Lt. Rick Sing of the Oceanside Police Department. "It expands our legal authority. It opens up a whole different element of investigation."

Other federal agencies, such as the FBI, can be used if a NTF drug case uncovers additional crimes, Collier said.

The $9 million cost figure for the task force includes the entire salary for officers, supervisors and clerical staff assigned to the task force. However, local officers generally only work part-time in the unit as needed, and each agency is responsible for paying the salaries of assigned personnel.

In addition to providing Collier and building space, DEA supplies 20 agents, three more supervisors, clerical assistance and cars when necessary.

San Diego police provide Lt. Carl Black, also a task force supervisor, and 18 detectives. The sheriff's department assigns 13 detectives, and both agencies also supply additional supervisors and clerical personnel.

Every city police department in the county supplies at least one officer to the task force. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau assigns two.

Other participating agencies include the San Diego Harbor Police, the state Department of Justice, the San Diego County District Attorney's office, and the state Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.

The marijuana hotline number is (858) 616-4444.

Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 740-3524 or jmoreland@nctimes.com.

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