Seattle Police Officer Arrested for Smuggling Marijuana to Other States
A police officer in Seattle has been arrested (along with three other men) for allegedly smuggling marijuana from Seattle to Baltimore and elsewhere on the East Coast.
(Photo: Bettina Hansen / The Seattle Times)
South Precinct police officer Alex Chapackdee is being accused of conspiracy to distribute marijuana along with three other who aren’t themselves law enforcement officials. Chapackdee is expected to appear in federal court on Monday.
“While always disturbing to investigate one of our own, I am proud of the detectives and commanders who worked diligently on this case,” Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole said in a statement earlier today. “Officer Chapackdee’s conduct is disgraceful and disappointing. While he will have his due process in the courts, I hope these charges demonstrate to our community that SPD will not tolerate corrupt behavior in our ranks.”
Komo News states that a confidential source told investigators that Chapackdee was paid $10,000 to keep watch on marijuana grow houses and to provide law enforcement information. He was also apparently paid $15,000 for every trip he made to the East Coast, which were done in an RV.
“The trafficking of hundreds of pounds of marijuana from Washington to the streets of Baltimore will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes said in a news release. “Drug trafficking organizations that ignore federal and state laws have always been and will continue to be targeted and held to account. The fact that a police officer was involved in this is obviously of particular concern.”