Within the last five months, agents of the 17th Judicial Drug Task Force, which is based in Shelbyville, have been extremely active in the court system and on the streets combating the flow of illegal drugs into our district’s communities, according to Director Timothy R. Lane.
Agents of the task force are serious about protecting our communities against illegal drug activity including: the production and distribution of meth; pharmaceutical diversion, which includes the illegal selling of different types of prescribed medication to persons that are not authorized to be in possession of or use that medication; the sell and distribution of crack cocaine, meth, marijuana, ecstasy; and other illegal drugs. The Drug Task Force is comprised of deputies and officers assigned by the Bedford and Marshall County Sheriff’s Departments and the Shelbyville and Lewisburg Police Departments. The Director has praised the heads of these law enforcement agencies in both Bedford and Marshall Counties for their unwavering support to the efforts of the drug task force. He also praised District Attorney General Robert Carter for his office’s support as to the prosecution of these defendants brought to court.
During the first quarter of 2014, the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force seized 257 grams of cocaine, 1,825 grams of marijuana, 117 grams of meth, 911 prescription pills, four pounds of counterfeit pot, and other controlled substances that were intended for illegal drug use. In addition to the drugs, seven weapons, and funds and property totaling over $44,000.00 were seized. These funds and property items were seized and forfeiture actions have been initiated against the property by the task force and the DA’s office.
The drug market is constantly changing and recently this district encountered an influx of the crystallized form of meth, which is known as Ice. Meth is also produced through a “shake and bake” method, which has been a common method of manufacturing in the 17th District; however, ice is manufactured in Mexico and is the purest form of meth on the illegal market. This drug is extremely addictive just like crack cocaine and heroin.
Twenty-two defendants in Bedford County and eleven defendants in Marshall County have either pleaded guilty or were found guilty at trial by jury of felony drug charges or other felony offenses that were investigated by the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force in Bedford and Marshall Counties.
