Drug Bust Seizures May Help Tulsa Police In Future Narcotics Cases

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- The arrest of three men by Tulsa Police on Wednesday afternoon has resulted in the seizure of cocaine, marijuana, vehicles and a large amount of cash. 

Police say officers along with special investigation division detectives arrested Javier Holhuin, Jose Ramirez and Maria Martinez-Rameriz near 6500 East Virgin Street.

Twenty pounds of marijuana, a kilo of cocaine, $35,000 cash, two vehicles and a gun are now under lock and key. A police officer who was transferred from the narcotics unit back to the street because of the layoffs is responsible for the bust.

The items police recovered are not only evidence, but they are possibly cash in the bank for police.

Officer Josh Dupler helped get marijuana, cocaine and more get off the streets of Tulsa. Officers also found $35,000 cash hidden all over the same house, some of it even tucked into boxes of Christmas decorations.

In addition, officers confiscated a Ford pickup and a Dodge Magnum. They arrested three people who could be in the country illegally.  

Officers hope to take possession of these vehicles along with the cash.

"If we can go back and show money used from drug proceeds was used to purchase these vehicles, or if the money recovered was drug proceeds, we can go through the courts and seize that money," said Officer Jason Willingham of the Tulsa Police Department.

In some cases, rather than auction the items for the cash, they use them, like a Cadillac Escalade that used to belong to a drug dealer is now driven by police officers.

"I was actually assigned this vehicle for a short time," Willingham said. "You're driving down the street, people honking, giving the thumbs up, saying, ‘yea, take more, take more.'

"It's a pretty neat vehicle and great to take to schools and talk to kids about ‘see what can happen if you get into illegal activity,'" he said.

In 2009, the Tulsa District Attorney's office filed 589 forfeiture cases that included nearly $900,000 cash, 52 vehicles and 185 guns. That money goes into the DA's fund, then 75% of it goes back out to the agencies that made the busts.

"It's an outstanding law that lets us recoup some of the money we spend on the war on drugs," said Tulsa Police Officer Jason Willingham.

The narcotics trade is clearly intertwined with other crimes like burglaries and robberies which affect thousands of people a year. Seizures won't solve Tulsa's budget crisis or officer shortage – that's because the money can't be for officers' salaries, only for items that would help in future narcotics cases.

The three suspects are being held in the Tulsa County jail on complaints of trafficking in cocaine.