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Sat 1 Oct, 2016 06:00 am
Cop Spends 2 Months Working Undercover At Burger King, Nets 5 Grams Of Weed
Many are questioning if the operation was worth the effort.
09/30/2016 03:29 pm ET
Philip Lewis Front Page Editor, The Huffington Post
An elaborate undercover narcotics operation at a Maryland Burger King ended not with a bust, but with a whimper.
After spending nearly two months masquerading as a fast food employee, a Thurmont police officer was able to confiscate a mere 5 grams of marijuana and two morphine pills, The Frederick-News Post reports.
The operation, which began in August, stemmed from complaints that Burger King employees were selling drugs out of the restaurant. In an effort to address those gripes, the Thurmont Police Department turned to Officer Nicole Fair, a recent hire who they felt wouldn’t be recognized in the tight-knit community.
“In this case, we had a new officer who wasn’t well-known in Thurmont at the time,” Thurmont Police Chief Greg Eyler told The Frederick-News Post, explaining the scheme. “So we thought that we would put her in there in a covert operation.”
Burger King hired Fair in August without having been alerted to the police operation. The Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office and Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird were both reportedly informed.
“Based upon the information we had, we felt that anonymity was necessary for the protection of the officer and the integrity of the operation,” State’s Attorney Charlie Smith told the Post.
The investigation ended last week with the arrest 23-year-old Tommy Lee Miller, who was charged with possession and distribution of marijuana, and 28-year-old Jonathan Brook Moser, who was charged with selling marijuana and morphine, according to WUSA.
The story has since gone viral on Reddit, however, where many users are questioning if it was really worth the time, effort and taxpayer money. After all, 5 grams of marijuana have a street value of around $50, and possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana is only a civil offense in Maryland ― though selling it is still a felony, with a maximum jail sentence of five years. And two pills of morphine is, well, two pills of morphine.
And how did it take so long for the officer to get someone to sell her drugs, anyway?
Comment from discussion Two month long undercover drug operation, in which officer worked at Burger King, netted 5 grams of Marijuana, 2 Pills.
Another Reddit user pointed out the colossal amount of resources that likely went into such a minor drug bust.
Comment from discussion Henry-Claymore_Frick’s comment from discussion “Two month long undercover drug operation, in which officer worked at Burger King, netted 5 grams of Marijuana, 2 Pills”.
Despite criticism from the outside, some community members said they appreciated the effort.
“I’m glad they caught them because drugs are ruining a lot of people’s lives,” Herman Swope, a Burger King patron, told WUSA. “I’m glad they caught them even if they had to go undercover.”
The operation will (hopefully) achieve more than just busting one person for 5 grams of weed; it will stop further dealing and put BK management on notice that they need to tight up their governance.
Since a gram is 1/28th of an ounce, they essentially got enough weed for one or two nice joints. And let's face it, the stuff is becoming legal anyway. I'm dismayed that it was not been made legal decades ago.
They did get two morphine pills, presumably prescription. More serious drug, but only two pills.
@Blickers,
The pills don't bother me so much since big Pharma hooked so many on Oxsy, codeine, fentyl, morphine and then pulled the rug out from under them. Heroin use was disappearing until they tried to legalizing opiates dealing as long as it came from a pharmacist. Now its growing very quickly as the legal addicts are trying to maintain a habit sold them by the drug industry.
@bobsal u1553115,
bobsal u1553115 wrote:
Seriously?
Why not? Look at it from the police point of view.
@contrex,
The way I would look at it if I were a police chief is that an officer just spent two months undercover to net two joints and two pills. Seems a waste.
That BK may have been a nest of low level crime and the small marijuana bust may have been merely the publicly visible result. Personallly I feel sorry for the cop if he had to eat the crap they serve in those places.
@contrex,
If it was a nest of low level crime, I would think the cop would be able to net more than two joints worth of marijuana and two morphine pills.
@contrex,
Why would I do that? Its only a job.
@contrex,
I understand what you mean, that cop could have been in the streets killing innocent unarmed complying black men.
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