Joe Daniels: A member of B.E.T., he was arrested by federal drug agents

Hawaii musician charged in ice bust

The drug seizure of 50 pounds could be Hawaii's largest ever of crystal meth

Federal authorities have charged three people, including a member of the popular local reggae/ hip-hop group B.E.T., in connection with what appears to be one of the biggest seizures of methamphetamine in Hawaii history.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents intercepted two parcels containing 50 pounds of the drug last month and arrested Joe Daniels, Junior Auelua and Lauolefisa Afo in Daniels' Royal Kunia apartment on Feb. 9 when the parcels were opened, according to court documents.

Daniels, also known as J.D., is one half of the duo B.E.T., or Big Every Time, which has released five CDs and calls itself "Polynesian P-funk at its best."

Daniels' attorney Arthur Ross said his client was not involved in the deal, but was arrested because a relative staying with him was distributing the drugs.

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Drug Enforcement Administration agents intercepted two Federal Express packages containing 50 pounds of methamphetamine last month in what appears to be one of the largest seizures of the drug in Hawaii history.

Three people, including a local hip-hop and reggae entertainer, were indicted Feb. 13 in connection with the drug bust and are being held at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu.

Based on previous reported seizures, 50 pounds of methamphetamine could be worth millions of dollars on the street.

Federal authorities arrested Joe Daniels, Junior Auelua and Lauolefisa Afo after the package was opened at Daniels' apartment in Royal Kunia.

Daniels is a founding member of B.E.T., or Big Every Time, a hip-hop and reggae duo.

According to court documents, agents in Los Angeles were called after a Federal Express employee opened a suspicious package and found 20 plastic containers containing methamphetamine.

Another package had 30 containers with more methamphetamine, according to the documents.

Auelua allegedly flew from Los Angeles to Honolulu to pick up the packages, which were delivered to their destination under the surveillance of federal agents.

Auelua took the parcels to Afo in the parking lot of Pearlridge Shopping Center, and Afo brought them to Daniels' Royal Kunia apartment, the documents said.

The next day, a beeper alerted authorities that the parcels had been opened, and authorities arrested Daniels, Afo, Auelua and a fourth man who was released without charges.

Federal agents searched Daniels' apartment and allegedly found another 5 pounds of ice in a bedroom closet.

While in custody, Auelua admitted to mailing the parcels to himself and receiving $2,000 to $3,000 for delivering the parcels, the documents said.

Daniels gave a statement that he knew the parcels contained ice and that he let Afo keep the drugs in his apartment since December.

Daniels' attorney Arthur Ross said his client doesn't do drugs.

"He doesn't do that at all," Ross said. "They were relatives so he let him stay there, and he ended up getting in the soup too."