Drug is main substance abuse problem countywide
Morgan Hill – Two incidents late last week involving methamphetamine ironically came as the department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration held their first National Methamphetamine Awareness Day, an educational effort warning against the dangers of meth use.
“Methamphetamine is highly addictive and destructive, and while its appearance at times can look crystal clear, there is only one thing clear about the drug..it’s effects,” said Javier Pena, DEA special agent in charge. “Today is an opportunity to educate our Bay Area communities about the full impact of this drug.”
Use of meth causes severe deterioration of facial bones and teeth, dangerously increased heart rate, weight loss and can lead to death. Drug use often leads to involvement in other crimes, including auto burglary, petty theft and other property crimes.
MHPD has a street crimes team that seeks out drug users, but all MHPD officers are supposed to be on the lookout for crimes involving meth, police sources say.
Four people were arrested early Thursday morning on drug charges after a Morgan Hill police officer stopped the car they were in because the rear license plate was missing.
Sonia Rivera, 37, of San Jose, Sylvia Amezcua, 27, of San Jose and Ricardo Garcia, 41, of Morgan Hill were booked into Santa Clara County Jail. Eric Lujan, 25, of Bakersfield was released on bail.
According to Morgan Hill police Sgt. David Swing, officer Joe Burdick pulled over the suspect vehicle at Tennant Station shopping center at approximately 12:50am. When he checked the license of the driver, Rivera, he learned she is on parole.
Swing said Rivera and her passengers were arrested without incident on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Burdick noticed that Amezcua was allegedly hiding something in her pants, and he asked her to remove it. The item was a camera case, Swing said, allegedly containing a .49 grams of methamphetamine, a glass meth pipe and 6.4 grams of marijuana.
During a search of the car, Burdick found a black case wedged between the front passenger seat and the door sill, Swing added. In the case there was an additional 15 grams of methamphetamine.
Officers confiscated $367 and cell phones from the group, Swing said.
Other charges were not available at presstime as Burdick is completing the investigation and the report.
On Friday, two Live Oak High School sophomores were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance. According to Swing, school officials called police and paramedics when the two 15-year-old girls were behaving strangely. Morgan Hill police Cpl. Ray Ramos accompanied the girls to Saint Louise Regional Hospital, where they were taken as a precaution, and the girls were later cited and released to their parents for alleged possession of meth and suspicion of being under the influence of meth. Swing said Ramos found .37 grams of meth in the girls’ possession.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at
md****@mo*************.com
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