Shreveport Police Dept.

Date: March 19, 2003

Phone: 318/673-6932 Fax: 318/673-6933

Contact: Kacee Hargrave, Public Information Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DEA Task Force, local agencies arrest 4, seize drugs

A narcotics investigation has resulted in the arrests of four Florida citizens and the seizure of about $122,000 worth of illegal drugs.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA Task Force, the Shreveport Police Department, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, the Marion County, Florida Sheriff’s Office and the Ocala, Florida Police Department.

Phillip Morris, 55, of Ocala, Florida was arrested Tuesday after he was stopped by Louisiana State Police on Interstate 20.

Morris was found to have about four ounces of ice -- a type of methamphetamine with a street value of about $13,000. The ice is believed to have come from Phoenix, Arizona, and was headed to Florida.

Morris is charged with federal possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

This morning, three other Ocala, Florida citizens were stopped on Interstate 49 about three miles south of the Bert Kouns exit. A kilo of cocaine worth about $109,000 was seized and all three were arrested.

Those arrested were Stephen Vasquez, 26, John Amorginos, 27, and Brian Poucher, 32, all of Ocala, Florida. All were charged with federal conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.

Ice is the purest form of methamphetamine. It has been showing up more and more in this area and appears to be coming from the west coast.

-spd-

View all SPD press releases at www.ci.shreveport.la.us/dept/police/spdnews