LIHU‘E — The methamphetamines that end up on island travel a long way before reaching Kaua‘i.
According to Michael Short, acting assistant special agent in charge of the Honolulu District Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, most of Kaua‘i’s meth is produced in high-tech, cartel-run Mexican “super labs,” which can pump out multi-ton quantities of methamphetamine at low prices.
From there, the drug, also known as “ice,” is smuggled across the border, into source counties in Southern California and Nevada — primarily San Diego, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
“They get very creative,” said Short. “They have multiple ways to ship drugs across border. It’s really endless.”
This creativity was on full display earlier this year, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Otay Mesa, California discovered almost 1,200 small packages of methamphetamine — worth an estimated street value of about $2.9 million — hidden among a shipment of onions.
According to a CBP release, the drugs had been shaped into small globes with a white covering, designed to blend in with the sacks of onions.
While meth labs in operation in the United States have decreased, production appears to have largely migrated south of the border and is shipped in finished form.
“Not to say they don’t exist,” said Short, of American labs. “But not nearly in the numbers they once did.”
On island, Short said that most dealers operate independently, but the products they sell can generally be traced back to the cartels.
Shipping on island
From Southern California, the product is shipped to the island “overwhelmingly via parcel service,” according to Short.
While mail is examined by postal inspectors watching out for suspicious packaging, the sheer volume of packages coming in every day makes the task difficult, if not impossible.
The packages are generally small, according to Kaua‘i Police Department Investigative Services Bureau Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce, between a half-pound and five pounds.
Packages mailed from the mainland were a key part of former Kaua‘i County Councilmember Arthur Brun’s drug trafficking ring. Brun was indicted in 2020.
According to recent plea deals reached by individuals involved, Brun’s associate Kaniu Huihui received packages from Roberta Spanne, who was located in California at the time.
Spanne was paid $9,000 — deposited into her bank account — for one of these shipments, which was intercepted at Lihu‘e Airport during the investigation.
Another route smugglers take is transporting drugs through the airport, either on their person or in luggage.
“Taping the drugs, masking the smell, concealing it on different parts of their body to make it look normal,” Ponce listed of the techniques. “It’s very difficult to catch those for us. A lot of stuff goes undetected.”
The Transportation Security Administration said that it prioritizes finding weapons over illegal substance searches at Lihu‘e Airport.
“TSA’s screening procedures are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers,” said TSA Spokesperson Lorie Dankers. “But if any illegal substances are discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”
A rare but occasionally utilized option for traffickers are shipping containers, with Ponce reporting that two small busts had occurred involving these containers.
Fentanyl overdoses
While meth is the most significant drug in use on island, fentanyl may have overtaken it as the most dangerous.
“Meth is still the number one drug we see, but fentanyl seems to be more of a health problem,” said Short.
In 2021, KPD investigated nine fentanyl-related deaths, the highest annually on island.
In September 2021 alone, emergency medical services responded to 18 overdose calls, of which five patients died, according to Hawai‘i News Now.
On six occasions last year, KPD administered Narcan to victims, saving the lives of overdosing individuals.
Fentanyl has an even longer journey to the island than meth, often beginning in China, according to Short. From there it travels to Mexico and Southern California before reaching Kaua‘i.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid about 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as a pain reliever, according to the DEA.
The pharmaceutical drug was originally developed for use as an anesthetic for cancer patients, and can be administered in a variety of ways — through a patch, a tablet or an injection.
Short attributed the rise in fentanyl’s popularity to the fact that it is cheaper for suppliers to purchase, and takes a smaller dosage to get people high.
Cocaine, usually sourced from South America, and black-tar heroin, are also present on island, according to Ponce, though not to the same extent.
For Ponce, the key to dealing with the island’s drug problem is by dealing with addiction.
“We work up a drug trafficking organization to the point where we can take somebody else and somebody takes their spot,” said Ponce. “Why? Because we have a really high addiction rate. When there’s that demand people are going to keep shipping drugs.”
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Guthrie Scrimgeour, reporter, can be reached at 647-0329 or gscrimgeour@thegardenisland.com.
