Posted on: Saturday, November 23, 2002

Big Island police arrest drug suspect, seize goods

Advertiser Staff

KALAOA, Hawai'i — Big Island vice officers arrested a 35-year-old woman who is a suspect in a federal drug case.

Cheryl "Kahea" Kahoalii of Kalaoa, North Kona, was taken to Honolulu, where she is being held without bail at the Federal Detention Center.

Responding to complaints about possible drug activity from tenants of the Coconut Grove marketplace and Ali'i Sunset Plaza, Kona vice officers conducted surveillance of the areas, said police detective Harley Hee. At about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, officers saw Kahoalii drive up in a 1988 Honda Accord. Knowing that she was wanted on a federal indictment stemming from a previous drug arrest, the officers approached Kahoalii, who ran away, Hee said.

After chasing her down and arresting her on the federal indictment, the officers found in her car 62 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 25 grams of cocaine, packaged for distribution, as well as a scale and other drug paraphernalia, Hee said. Police seized for forfeiture her car, gold jewelry, a cellular telephone and a camera.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, police assisted FBI agents in searching Kahoalii's home, Hee said. There, they found more crystal methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, and also seized for forfeiture a TV set, DVD and VCR players, a slot machine, stereo equipment, two laptop computers, a palm pilot and other items.