Hawaii Police Department vice officers arrested four persons in connection with a methamphetamine trafficking investigation conducted Monday, Feb. 16 in the Keaau area of Puna.
Ruel Castro, 34, of Keaau, 29-year-old Christopher Saribay of Hilo and 29-year-old Diane Blanco of Keaau were arrested on suspicion of drug possession after being contacted within a vehicle in the Keaau town area.
After a Police Department narcotics canine alert, police served a search warrant on the vehicle. Hilo vice officers recovered 41 grams of crystal methamphetamine from the vehicle. The “ice” had a street value of approximately $8,000.
Castro, Saribay, and Blanco were charged with a variety of drug offenses including first-degree methamphetamine trafficking. Castro is being held at the Hilo cellblock in lieu of $18,000 bail. Saribay and Blanco were released after posting $9,000 and $11,000 bail, respectively.
Wendell Olivera, 44, of Hilo also was arrested after Hilo vice officers contacted him in his vehicle in the same area and observed a firearm. After a narcotic canine alert on Olivera’s vehicle and a subsequent search warrant, Hilo vice officers recovered 2.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a shotgun and a semi-automatic handgun.
Olivera, a convicted felon, was arrested and charged with numerous firearms offenses (including ownership of a firearm prohibited) as well as second-degree methamphetamine trafficking and numerous other drug offenses.
Olivera is currently being held at the Hilo cellblock in lieu of $40,000 bail. Both he and Castro are scheduled for their initial court appearances Thursday, Feb. 19 in South Hilo District Court.
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