Andrews – In an effort to curb the illegal drug menace, the Andrews Police Department made two substantial busts over the weekend, leading to multiple arrests and the confiscation of dangerous substances.
Around 9:30 p.m. Friday, a routine traffic stop for an expired registration plate led to a major drug bust, according to a release. Upon initiating the stop, officers noticed needles in plain view while engaging with four occupants of the vehicle.
A search of the car allegedly revealed 3.03 ounces of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Further checks revealed that the driver was also on probation.
Subsequently, all four occupants – identified as Stephanie Marie Ashe, Imogen Yvette Kruggel, Christy Ann Tomlin and Randy Wayne Griffith – were charged with trafficking methamphetamine, conspiracy and related offenses.
Another bust happened around 9:12 p.m. Sunday in the Ingles parking lot. An officer on patrol noticed a suspicious vehicle parked erratically, crossing several spaces, with its occupants appearing to set up a tent.
The female occupant, identified as Evelyn Stewart Bailey, allegedly informed the officer about the presence of two pistols in the car, while the second occupant, identified as Wayne Stewart Bailey, allegedly admitted to having drugs in the vehicle. A search of the car revealed a small quantity of meth and 6.3 grams of a substance that tested positive for pure fentanyl.
“We’re really careful with it,” Andrews Police Chief Caleb Stiles said when discussing the dangerousness of that much fentanyl. “We wear personal protective equipment during field testing, and we keep the drugs as far away from us as possible.”
The Baileys are charged with trafficking opium, meth possession and more.
“Both of these busts happened because of proactive police work,” Stiles added. “I’m proud of these guys. They’re good.”