Two Arrests, Weapons Seized in Port Angeles Drug Probe
A coordinated law enforcement initiative targeting suspected narcotics operations in downtown Port Angeles on Monday resulted in two arrests along with the confiscation of fentanyl, methadone, and various weapons.
A 44-year-old female was taken into custody at the Clallam County Correction Facility on Monday. She faces allegations concerning the manufacture, delivery, or possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
During a preliminary appearance in Clallam County Superior Court on Tuesday, the court assigned a defense attorney and established conditions for her release. Following the proceedings, she was discharged from custody at 1:48 p.m., according to jail records. She is scheduled to appear before Judge Elizabeth Stanley for a motion hearing at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 18.
The arrests were the result of a joint operation led by the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET), in cooperation with the Port Angeles Police Department and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
OPNET officials report that detectives had been monitoring a blue Dodge Durango parked in the 100 block of East 3rd Street. Surveillance was initiated in response to multiple community complaints regarding "short stay traffic" associated with that vehicle.
While observing the Durango on Monday, June 15, detectives witnessed activity they described as consistent with street-level drug transactions. OPNET coordinated with CCSO deputies to contact a suspected buyer immediately following an observed transaction.
That contact resulted in the arrest of a 52-year-old man for possession of a controlled substance after deputies recovered a small quantity of suspected fentanyl.
Meanwhile, OPNET detectives observed a separate suspected transaction and noted several other individuals approaching the vehicle. CCSO deputies and PAPD officers subsequently made contact with the vehicle and detained the occupants.
Following the acquisition of a search warrant for the Dodge Durango, investigators discovered several weapons stored in a manner that made them easily accessible to the driver. Authorities recovered a large, fixed-blade knife from the driver’s side door panel. Two revolvers were located between the driver’s seat and the center console, along with a third device in that location, which was later determined to be a pellet gun.
The vehicle search also yielded approximately 2.64 grams of fentanyl chalk, a digital scale containing residue, various pills, multiple bottles of methadone, and drug paraphernalia.
OPNET has stated that the investigation remains active, and additional charges are possible.