Follow-up on the SWAT raid near my St. Paul Home

Earlier this week, I described a search warrant service and pre-dawn raid that involved SWAT and other police at a home across the street from mine. Here's the thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025383825

Since then, I've done a couple of things: First, I emailed the chief of police in St. Paul, asking for information on the reason for that warrant and for information on what it was about. That email was forwarded to the Division Commander for my sector of the city. He called me about an hour later. We talked for almost an hour, and I learned a good deal about the situation. This was the fourth time in four years that a felony search warrant and search was done on that house. He couldn't provide a lot of detailed information, since the investigation is still underway, but was very helpful in answering my questions.

Turns out that the residents there are apparently involved in a meth distribution network in the area. They're not selling from that house, but are part of a larger wholesale operation. At this point, the police, county attorney (MN's name for District Attorney) and the state police are carrying out a seizure of property with regard to this. That property will apparently include the house itself, which will become property of the City of St. Paul and will be sold. Two cars were seized during the raid earlier this week. According to the police commander, what happened last week was "the final nail" in their case against the group.

Second: Through a records search on the property, I found the name of the owner of that property, and then did a court case search on that person's name. Multiple arrests and prosecutions for sales of large quantities of meth and other drugs. Not very nice people, it appears. All of this information was found on government database Internet sources that are part of the transparency program here in Minnesota. They're not easy to use, but can be accessed by anyone willing to deal with an awkward interface.

Yesterday, several vehicles showed up at the house and the owner, other residents, and others removed much of what was there. It looks like they're all moving out of the neighborhood, which will make just about everyone on that street very happy, since we're all pretty tired of police actions there.

Good riddance to the people living in that house! The meth business is an ugly one. I would be very happy if drugs were removed from criminal status and decriminalized. That would help to stop the trade in illegal drugs and increase the peace, I believe. In the meantime, though, so much crime is connected to the drug trade that it will be a relief to see these people gone from my street, at least.