Two men are facing drug charges following their arrest Friday in Kona. ADVERTISING Two men are facing drug charges following their arrest Friday in Kona. Around 3:30 p.m. Friday, Area II Vice Officers observed 50-year-old Benjamin Fleming of Captain Cook
Two men are facing drug charges following their arrest Friday in Kona.
Around 3:30 p.m. Friday, Area II Vice Officers observed 50-year-old Benjamin Fleming of Captain Cook to be an occupant of a sports-utility vehicle being operated by 52-year-old Richard Castro, who has no permanent address. Vice Officers were looking for Fleming in connection with an unrelated narcotics investigation and contacted both men at a business establishment on the 74-5000 block of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
As officers contacted them, they observed paraphernalia associated with methamphetamine use inside the vehicle. Both men were taken into custody and taken to the Kona police cellblock while Vice officers continued the investigation.
On Saturday, police executed a search warrant on the SUV and reportedly recovered 60.4 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine, 15.5 grams of suspected cocaine, 14.5 grams of suspected heroin, 10.6 grams of suspected marijuana, paraphernalia associated with narcotics use and distribution, one unspent 0.32 caliber round and $4,174 in cash for forfeiture.
At 12:30 a.m. Sunday, Castro was charged with first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, meth trafficking, possessing drug paraphernalia, place to keep—ammunition and ownership/possession prohibited. His bail was set at $146,000.
He is slated an appearance in Third Circuit District Court on Tuesday.
Fleming was charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $2,250. He was released on bail at 12:55 p.m. Sunday.