Posted on: Saturday, February 19, 2005

Neighbors aided police drug raid

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

Charges of selling or possessing crystal methamphetamine are pending against two women, 43 and 48, who were arrested Thursday night when police raided an apartment in Waipahu.

Sgt. Doug Iwamasa, who heads the Pearl City police district's crime-reduction unit, said a search warrant was obtained after undercover officers made a series of methamphetamine purchases from an apartment in the Waipahu Towers building on Pu'umomi Street.

The building is within a designated "weed and seed" district. Weed and seed areas receive special attention from law-enforcement officials in their efforts to eradicate drug problems.

"This is a victory for the community because they told us about all the traffic that was coming and going," Iwamasa said.

He said the 43-year-old woman who was arrested is a tenant of the federally subsidized building, one that is coveted by area residents because high-quality apartments rent for as little as $50 under various subsidy programs.

The drug charge means that one of the women will likely be evicted from the building and the other will never be allowed to rent one of the apartments, Iwamasa said.

"This was a community-based complaint that we were able to take action on, and hopefully the residents will see the results of their input at community meetings with us," Iwamasa said.

He said some residents had been complaining about what they believed were drug sales at the building for some time.

Police had to win the confidence of drug sellers who worked out of a secured building and who would only allow access to the apartment by people they had come to trust, Iwamasa said.

"We hope this serves a message to others in the community to work with us," Iwamasa said.

Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-7412.