More than $480K in drugs, goods found in narcotics bust

Published 9:37 am Friday, December 1, 2017

— Law enforcement officers seized more than $480,000 in drugs, watches and vehicles Thursday night in a Wildsville bust.

Officers found 4,082 grams of marijuana, 907 grams of methamphetamines and 290 grams of liquid THC at a residence that had been identified as a narcotics distribution center.

Among the controlled substances found in vehicles at the residence was a small baby bottle half-filled with purple-hued liquid codeine.

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Along with the cache of drugs, officers found Rolex and Patek Philippe watches. The Rolex were worth on average approximately $40,000 each. The Patek Philippe watch was valued at approximately $180,000.

Henry Michael Jefferson Jr., 23, 201 Sixth St., Ferriday, was arrested on a probation and parole hold Thursday night. More charges are pending.

Concordia Parish Chief David Hedrick said he was extremely proud of the task force and its work enacting the parish’s zero tolerance policy for drugs.

“All that hard work is paying off, isn’t it?” Hedrick told the officers. “You guys did such good work.”

Henry Michael Jefferson Jr. (Photo courtesy Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office)

The Concordia Parish Narcotics Division, comprised of officers from the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Vidalia Police Department and Ferriday Police Department, along with the Catahoula Sheriff’s Office, arrived on scene around 1 a.m. Friday.

Concordia Parish Narcotics Detective John Cowan said when officers first arrived, one suspect fled.

After the unidentified subject jumped a 6-foot, barbed-wire fence behind the one-story residence, Cowan said officers noticed a vehicle they had observed leaving the residence parked out back.

Upon approaching the vehicle Cowan said officers could see clear containers of marijuana in plain sight, prompting officers to receive two more search warrants for each of the vehicles.

Approximately $60,000 was found in a vehicle outside the Wildsville residence, along with packaging equipment and several high-cost items that Cowan said were likely purchased with “ill-gotten gains.”

Also seized were two vehicles, one with alligator skin interior and large silver rims.

Jefferson was being held in the Concordia Parish Jail at 9 a.m. Friday.