Big Isle police cited
for anti-‘ice’ effort

The Hawaii County Police Department received a national law enforcement award for its part in "Operation Shave Ice," an anti-crystal methamphetamine operation.

The National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program presented the award Dec. 14 in Washington, D.C., to Big Island police Detective Ernest Saldua and Chief Lawrence Mahuna.

The November 2003 operation resulted in the indictment of more than 60 people and the execution of 50 search warrants on the Big Island, Oahu, California, Arizona and Nevada, police said. More than 9 1/2 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, $510,000 in cash, $75,000 in assets and 15 firearms were seized.

Also taking part in the operation were the FBI, Honolulu Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Coast Guard, Internal Revenue Service, and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The operation dismantled four separate lines of supply into Hawaii, police said.