80.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesStepped-Up Patrols Lead to Drug Busts, Firearms Arrest

Stepped-Up Patrols Lead to Drug Busts, Firearms Arrest

Police were out in force on St. Thomas Wednesday, confiscating 82 dime bags of marijuana, crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia near Garden Street, and later arresting a man in possession of a firearm and 22 dime bags of marijuana.

The V.I. Police Department reported that while conducting stepped up patrols at 11 a.m. on Garden Street, officers from the Special Operations Bureau saw a group of men near the laundromat, who walked away when they saw the officers.

The officers reported that they smelled a strong odor of marijuana and searched the area, discovering 82 dime bags of marijuana, two scales and crack cocaine near an abandoned building.

At about 2:28 p.m., officers arrested 24-year-old Delron Francis of Estate Nadir and charged him with possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijauna, and failure to register ammunition.

According to police, officers patrolling Estate Frydenhoj near the ball field saw a suspect – later identified as Francis – running with a firearm in his hand. He was ordered by officers to stop and drop the .9-mm firearm. Officers also found a bag containing 22 dime bags of marijuana, a fully loaded magazine, and a scale in his possession.

Francis is not licensed to carry a firearm in the Virgin Islands. Bail was set at $45,000 and he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections pending further court action.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.