SALT LAKE CITY, Utah ( ABC4 ) – Police are cracking down on bath salt trafficking and warning the public of the dangers of the drug, according to a press release.
Bath salts are typically found in white powder form or capsules. The release states they are packaged and commonly sold at the retail level through smoke shops, the internet or hand-to-hand transactions.
Using bath salts can reportedly lead to agitation, paranoia, delusions, aggression and sometimes death. Police say the dismantling of these sophisticated illegal drug operations cannot be done without support from local, regional, and federal partnerships.
On Tuesday, Jan. 24, Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown joined the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Metro Narcotics Task Force and other law enforcement executives to warn community members about bath salts and to discuss a bath salt drug trafficking investigation.
Courtesy of SLCPD
Courtesy of SLCPD
Courtesy of SLCPD
Courtesy of SLCPD
Courtesy of SLCPD
Courtesy of SLCPD
Courtesy of SLCPD
Last year, Utah DEA targeted bath salt distributors. The task force reportedly arrested 25 people, seized more than 40 kilograms of bath salts, more than $6 million in real estate, four firearms, and approximately $2.5 million in cash and assets, including 21 vehicles valued at $400,000, $300,000 in jewelry and $300,000 in designer handbags.
“Today, law enforcement throughout the Salt Lake Valley is in an aggressive fight against highly organized, sophisticated, and determined drug trafficking organizations,” said SLCPD Chief Mike Brown. “What you see on TV these days is not that far off from our reality. These drug trafficking organizations are skilled and will use all available methods to hide their enterprises in search of a profit.”
“Joint investigations with our partners have led to a focus on the larger drug trafficking organizations operating in the Salt Lake City area,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Crane. “This cooperation has ultimately led to the dismantlement of several of these large groups. HSI remains focused on our shared quest to identify and destroy trans-national criminal organizations that attempt to distribute this dangerous contraband across our borders.”
The investigations into this issue remain ongoing.
No further information is available at this time.
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