Hawaii County Police vice officers have arrested and charged three people within a week on drug charges and recovered a thousand marijuana plants in raids in Puna and Honokaa.
Following aerial observations and tips from the public, police served a search warrant Monday at a Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision home in Puna and another Tuesday at a home in Honokaa. A Hawaiian Acres home in Puna was raided by police with a search warrant on July 28.
Officers recovered at the Hawaiian Paradise Park home 188 marijuana plants, of which 119 were on neighboring properties, police said. The plants were 1 to 5 feet high. Police also recovered seven unregistered firearms and 252 prescription pills variously containing methadone, diazepam, hydrocodone and other drugs.
Officers arrested Shonna Soares, 35, at the house. She was charged with commercial promotion of marijuana, promotion of a dangerous drug, promotion of a harmful drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and various firearms offenses. Her bail was set at $49,000.
Police are looking for Chad A. Soares Sr., 44, in connection with that investigation. He is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall and 200 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 935-3311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 or 329-8181.
At the Honokaa home police recovered 595 marijuana plants between 6 inches and 4 feet tall at an indoor-outdoor marijuana growing operation.
Officers also recovered about 10 pounds of dry processed marijuana, 25.5 grams of hashish, two unregistered firearms, a digital scale and indoor growing equipment.
Police arrested Thomas Sullivan, 61, and charged him with commercial promotion of marijuana, promotion of a harmful drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and firearm offenses. His bail was set at $39,000.
In the Hawaiian Acres case, Paul Alan Silva, 43, was charged with first- and second-degree commercial promotion of marijuana and other charges, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
Hawaii County Police said officers found more than 300 marijuana plants ranging from 5 inches to 3 feet on July 28. Police also found 93 rootless cuttings used to propagate new plants.
Capt. Randal Medeiros said an aerial observation provided probable cause for a search warrant for the property.
Silva was free on $225,000 bail.
Police ask that anyone with information on any suspected drug operations to call the Vice/Drug Tip Hot Lines at 934-8423 or 329-0423.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
