Drug Sting With Manchester Ties Hauls in 70-Plus Pounds of Pot

MANCHESTER, CT — Authorities on Tuesday said they have intercepted a huge haul of marijuana that carries a street value of about $300,000.

Police said that, during the month of January, the East Central Narcotics Task Force, received information detailing a large scale marijuana operation.

Task force members were able to determine that the marijuana was being kept inside a residence at the Squire Village Apartment Complex in Manchester, police said.

A search warrant was obtained and a raid produced more than 70 pounds of marijuana, along with an undisclosed amount of US currency and other "items of evidence showing drug activity," police said.

Arrest warrants were issued for Kiara Lopez and Kenneth Chaparro, police said.

The investigation revealed that both Chaparro and Lopez were flying to California and purchasing large amounts of marijuana, police said.

During the trip, Lopez and Chaparro would package the marijuana and ship it back to Connecticut in large boxes using a private shipping carrier, police said.

On Friday, the task force received information that Lopez and Chaparro were attempting to board a flight to California via Logan Airport in Boston.

They were both detained and Chaparro was taken into custody and held without bond in the
state of Massachusetts. Chaparro was extradited back to Connecticut on Monday.

Lopez was arrested at court while attending Chaparro’s arraignment on Tuesday, police said.

Chapparo, 24, was charged with:

• Possession of more than 4 ounces of marijuana
• Possession of marijuana with intent to sell
• Operating a drug factory
• Possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Possession of marijuana within 1,500 feet of a school
• Possession of marijuana with the intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school
• Possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a school

Chaparro was held on a $500,000.00 bond.

Lopez, 22, was charged with:

• Possession of more than 4 ounces of marijuana
• Possession of marijuana with intent to sell
• Operating a drug factory
• Possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Possession of marijuana within 1,500 feet of a school
• Possession of marijuana with the intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school
• Possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a school
• Interfering with a police investigation

Lopez’s bond was set at $175,000.00.

The street value of the marijuana seized is roughly $300,000, police said.

Photo Credit: East Central Narcotics Task Force